EP0634977A1

EP0634977A1 - Device for looseleaf binding of papers.

Info

Publication number: EP0634977A1
Application number: EP93909040A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gerald John Knee
Original assignee: SPINELOC BINDING SYSTEMS Ltd; SPINELOC BINDING SYSTEMS LIMIT
Current assignee: SPINELOC BINDING SYSTEMS Ltd; SPINELOC BINDING SYSTEMS LIMIT
Priority date: 1992-04-08
Filing date: 1993-04-07
Publication date: 1995-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 2013-04-07
Also published as: GB2265858A; WO1993021025A1; DE69308130D1; EP0634977B1; GB9207658D0; AU3958893A; DE69308130T2

Description

DEVICE FOR LOOSELEAF BINDING OF PAPERS

This invention relates to a device for looseleaf binding of papers and documents.

Hitherto, page materials requiring to be looseleaf bound have, after suitable drilling or punching, been held together using an openable multi-ring device attached to a pre-formed spine and cover assembly. The disadvantage of the existing arrangement is that the device is usually manufactured from metal and includes a spring device which is riveted to the spine and covers, making the total cost of this binding device relatively expensive. It is also normal for the covers of this binding means to be titled to match the intended contents, making the binder redundant should a different content be required.

It is an object of this invention to provide a relatively low cost looseleaf binding system which permits the rapid and secure binding of prepared pages, and the easy subsequent removal or addition of pages. A secondary object of this invention is to provide flexibility of use by permitting the binding of covers as well as pages, so that the covers and not the binding means relate to the content of the assembled document, allowing the use of one looseleaf binding means for a range of documents.

According to the present invention, there is provided a looseleaf binding device comprising: an elongate spine having a longitudinal hinge; a plurality of first finger members extending forwardly from the spine on one side of the hinge: a plurality of cooperating second finger members extending forwardly from the spine on the other side of the hinge; and first and second extensions projecting rearwardly from the spine on either side of the hinge, the device being hingeably movable between an open confirmation in which the free ends of the finger members are spaced apart and a closed configuration in which the free ends of the cooperating first and second finger members meet to form a plurality of closed loops through holes in a sheaf of looseleaf papers to be bound, wherein the device additionally comprises a locking member positionable to lock the first and second extensions in the position corresponding to the closed configuration of the device to hold the device in the closed configuration.

In one embodiment of the invention the spine is formed from two separate elongate plastics members which are interconnected by a suitable hinge arrangement. In one embodiment of hinge, one of the elongate members has an enlarged edge portion , and the other of the elongate members has a socket portion formed along its edge, the enlarged edge portion being adapted to slide into the socket portion to form the hinge in the spine. In another embodiment of hinge one of the elongate members is formed with a plurality of tongue—like projections and the other of the elongate members is formed with a corresponding plurality of apertures into which the tongue—like projections are received. Preferably, the configuration of the tongue—like projections and the surfaces defining the apertures is such that the tongue-like projections may readily be inserted into the apertures but cannot readily be withdrawn.

In a further embodiment of the invention the device is an integral plastics moulding and the hinge is formed internally with the spine.

The locking member may comprise a strip slidable between the first and second extensions to hold the device in the closed configuration, but in a particularly preferred embodiment the locking member comprises a strip pivotably attached to one of the first and second extensions along one longitudinal edge of the strip, the strip being pivotable between a first, free position and a second locking position in which the strip engages with the other of the first and second extensions to hold the device in the closed configuration. Preferably, the locking member is formed integrally with one of the elongate plastics members forming the spine or, in an alternative embodiment, integrally with the remainder of the device.

Preferably, the strip is provided with a tab for ease of movement between its first and second positions. A recess may be provided on the other of the first and second extensions such that the strip may be positively located in the locking position.

Preferably, the width of the locking member is such that when it is in its use position it somewhat elastically deforms one or both of the extensions and/or the first and/or second finger members so that the free ends of the finger members engage each other with a slight pre-load. The effect of this arrangement is to resist separation of the fingers and, and the same time, resist displacement of the locking strip from its use position.

The spine is intended to be suitably sized to contain common sizes and volumes of looseleaf pages, and the number of finger means may be selected to form two or more closed loops as appropriate, depending on the number of holes provided in the pages. The shape and cross- section of the finger means may also be selected as appropriate for any particular application of the device. The present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a binding device according to one embodiment of the invention, in its open position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the binding device of Figure 1 with pages in position, the device being closed and locked;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of a third embodi¬ ment of the invention; and

Figures 5 and 6 show respectively a rear view and cross-section of a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a binding device 1 which is intended for the binding of looseleaf pages. The binding device comprises a spine 2 which may be manufactured from a semi-flexible plastics material for example polypropylene. The spine 2 incorporates a longitudinal hinge 3 which may be formed by locally narrowing the thickness of the plastics material of the spine. A number of fingers 4 and 4a extend from the spine, on either side of the hinge 3, the fingers being integrally formed with the spine and being suitably sized and spaced to accept pre—punched pages 5, as shown in Figure 2. The device T is hingeable between a first, open position, illustrated in Figure 1 , in which pre-punched ' pages 5 can be impaled over fingers 4a, for example, and a second, closed position illustrated in Figure 2, in which the free ends of the fingers 4 and 4a on either side of the hinge are brought together to hold the pages 5 on the closed loops formed by the cooperating fingers 4 and 4a. The free ends 6 of the fingers 4 and 4a may be formed with suitably shaped mating portions to provide positive cooperation between the fingers in the closed position.

Two short extensions 7 and 7a are formed one on either side of the hinge 3 in spine 2. The extensions 7 and 7a project rearwardly from the spine, and the inside faces of these extensions are provided with grooves, formed to locate a locking member 8 which may be made of a thin strip of rigid material having a length similar to the spine.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that when the pages 5 are fully loaded into the binding means, by impaling the punched edges of the pages over fingers 4a, the fingers 4 and 4a can be pressed closed. The binding device can then be locked closed by sliding locking member 8 between the short extensions 7 and 7a with the edges of this locking member located in the extension grooves. Locking member 8 can be provided with a means such as folded section or tab 9 to facilitate its insertion and removal, and radiuses 10 at the opposite end to assist insertion. The locking member should have a width at least equal to and preferably somewhat greater than the relaxed distance between the bases of the grooves of the extensions, when the ends of the fingers 4 and 4a are in firm contact with each other. Thus, when the locking member is fully inserted between the extensions 7 and 7a, the device will be held with the fingers in the closed position and slightly pre-loaded against each other.

The embodiment shown in Figure 3 is substantially the same as that shown in Figures 1 and 2, and like numerals will be used for like parts. However, in Figure 3, the locking member 11 is hingeable connected by a hinge 12 to the extension 7a. Preferably the locking member and hinge are formed integrally with the extension 7a. In this embodiment, this locking member is in the position shown in broken line when the device is open. When the device is closed, the locking member 11 can be pivoted in the direction of arrow 13 to snap into a recess on the interior face of extension 7 to hold the device in the closed position.

The Figure 4 embodiment shows a spine which is constructed in two parts 4a and 14b held together by means of the hinge 15. Part 14b is formed with an enlarged edge 16 providing one part of the hinge 15, and part 14a is formed with a socket 17 along its edge, the socket 17 being adapted to fit around the enlarged edge 16 to provide the cooperating part of the hinge 15. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4 the locking member 18 is formed integrally with extension 7 but in alternative arrangements the locking member may be formed integrally with extension 7a, or may provided as a separate slidably located locking strip. In Figure 4, the locking member 18 is joined to extension 7 by a hinge 19 and is in a position similar to that shown in broken lines when the device is open. When the device is closed, as shown in Figure 4, the locking member 18 can be pivoted in the direction of arrow 20 to lock between extensions 7 and 7a, and to clip into a recess on the interior face of extension 7a to positively locate the locking strip when the device is closed. In order to facilitate opening of the binding device, one or more tabs 21 may be formed on the locking strip 6 so as to protrude from the outside face of extension 7a via one or more suitable slots provided in the extension 7a.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 the binding device is formed by two separate plastics mouldings 22, 23. Moulding 22 comprises extension 7, spine portion 14a and fingers 4. Moulding 23 comprises extension 7a, spine portion 14b, fingers 4a and locking member 18.

Spine portion 14a has, integrally formed therewith, a plurality of tongue-like projections 24 each of which is connected by an integral hinge 25 to the spine portion 14a. An aperture corresponding to each tongue-like projection 24 is formed to one side of the spine portion 14b by a generally U-shaped bar 26 moulded integrally with the spine portion 14b. Each tongue-like projection 24 has a tapered lead-in region and a barb (as best seen in Figure 6) so that the tongue-like projections 24 may readily be inserted into the corresponding apertures until the barbs on the tongue-like projections snap under the bars 26. Thereafter, removal of the tongue-like projections from apertures will be very difficult.

The locking member 18 of the embodiment of Figure 5 is formed in a manner similar to that of the embodiment of Figure 4, and operates in the same manner as that described above with reference to Figure 4. In the open position of the locking member, as shown in solid line in Figure 6, the device may be opened. In the closed position of the locking member, as shown in broken line, the edge of the locking member snaps into a groove 27 provided in the extension 7a to lock the device closed. In use, hinging movement of the two portions of the device is accomplished by the hinged portions 25.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the axial shape of the fingers 4 and 4a may be substantially semi-circular- to form a circular loop when the device is closed, or the closed loop may be substantially square or rectangular, or may have any other suitable shape. The cross-section of the individual fingers 4 and 4a may be circular to suit generally available paper punching means, or may be rectangular, or any other suitable shape. To use the binding device, the locking member should be removed (in the case of a separately formed strip) or released (in the case of an integral strip), and the fingers 4 and 4a of the binder opened by pressing together the extensions 7 and 7a formed on each side of the hinge at the rear of the spine. Pages formed with suitably sized and positioned holes can be impaled over the fingers. When compilation is completed, the binding device can be closed using pressure on the outer surfaces of the fingers. The binding device is positively locked in the closed position by inserting or positioning the locking member between the two extensions 7 and 7a formed at the rear of the spine so that the strip firmly bridges the gap across the hinge line and places the fingers under a slight preload. Pages are released by again removing or releasing the locking strip and opening the fingers.

Claims

4. A binding device according to claim 2, wherein one of said elongate members is formed with a plurality of tongue—like projections and the other of said members is formed with a plurality of apertures for receiving said tongue-like projections to secure the elongate members together.

5. A binding device according to claim 4, wherein said tongue—like projections are each connected to the elongate member on which they are provided by means of a hinge portion, the hinge portions of .the tongue-like projections cooperating to form said hinge.

6. A binding device according to any preceding claim, wherein the locking member is pivotably attached to one of said first and second extensions along one longitudinal edge thereof, the locking member being pivotable between a first, free position, and a second locking position in which the locking member engages with the other of said first and second extensions to hold the device in the closed configuration.

7. A binding device according to claim 6, wherein said locking member is formed integrally with the extension to which it is attached.

8. A binding device according to any preceding claim wherein said locking member is releaseable from its operative position to permit the components thereof to be hinged about said hinge thereby moving the free ends of the fingers away from each other to facilitate removal of or insertion of papers to said binding device.