EP0962335A1 - Removable sheets for ring or spiral binders - Google Patents

Abstract

The edge (4) of each removable page (1) has a series of holes (7) for the rings or spiral of a binder, each hole being connected to the edge of the page by a slit (8). Each slit has two facing edges which can be straight, angled or curved and allow the rings or spirals to be inserted into the holes without having to open them.

Description

The present invention relates to a removable sheet having a soft, flexible border comprising spaced aligned orifices, intended to be associated with a binding comprising mounting members such as rings or turns, a set comprising the combination of such a sheet and a binding, a process mounting such an assembly.

We know removable sheets having on their border of holes such as perforations. Insertion and removing a slip from the binding, require the opening of it.

We also know removable plastic pockets having orifices on their border, these orifices opening through openings along the edge free of the pocket. The cover is intended to be placed on mounting devices. These pockets described in document FR -A- 2 623 443 can be placed and removed in one movement, the flexibility of the cover limiting its deterioration.

This device alone is not intended to maintain rigid to the mounting members, as required for example for a suspended filing system. It is then planned an additional fastening device such as a classic perforation cooperating with a ring.

We also know semi-rigid ruler sheets with a border showing notches. These rulers are inserted or removed quite easily by simple application of force in one movement. But these semi-rigid sheets require enough notches broad, and are generally quite light.

The invention proposes to remedy these difficulties while allowing easy handling of the sheets, including if they are heavy enough, as in the case of albums by photographs.

To this end, the invention relates to a removable sheet comprising a flexible flexible border, which comprises a free edge and orifices, the border defining a longitudinal direction and being able to cooperate by the orifices with a closed, typically ring or sirals, the orifices being spaced and aligned along the free edge, the sheet being such that, for each orifice, the border includes a through cutout that connects the orifice at the free edge and has two close edges and substantially opposite, the cutouts allowing insertion and manual removal without alteration of the slip in binding without opening it, maintaining the slip being insured despite a force appreciably perpendicular to the direction of binding.

The edges of each cut are substantially in contact and define a space typically between 0.1 and 1 mm, or spaced less than half the distance apart larger dimension of the orifice.

The holes in the border are either all identical, or at least two different types.

The holes in the border are either spaced at regular intervals, or at irregular intervals.

Each cut extends either in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, either inclined relative to this direction.

The outline of each hole includes, on the edge side free of the border, an opening in which the cutting. A cut ends in an orifice, according to or offset with respect to its axis of symmetry.

The border is of substantially constant width and includes two edges, a first edge corresponding to the edge free from the sheet and a second facing edge, substantially parallel, or non-parallel, the distance between the opposite ends aligned with the edges of the cutout then being higher on the side of the opening of the orifice, or on the free edge side of the sheet.

The cut extends essentially along a direction either straight or non-straight, and in this second case it includes several straight sections connected between them, or it is wavy.

The orifices are generally circular or oblong, but can be of different shapes for example square or rectangular.

The distance between two cuts along the longitudinal axis is generally greater than 1.5 times the largest hole size, preferably 1.5 to 2 times this length.

The length of the edges of a cutout is at least 0.5 times the largest dimension of the hole, usually 0.5 to 1 times this length.

Each orifice is capable of receiving either a ring of binding, i.e. at least two rings, one apart the other and opposite in the opening according to its direction longitudinal.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a binding or the like cooperating with a sheet as described previously.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a set including the combination of a sheet as described previously and a binding as described previously.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a product production of a sheet as described above.

According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a method mounting an assembly as described above.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en élévation de dessus, d'une première variante de feuillet selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue schématique en perspective d'une première variante d'un feuillet attaché à une reliure ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en élévation d'un agrandissement d'une partie de la bordure du feuillet selon la première variante ;
• les figures 4a, 4b, 4c, 5a, 5b sont des vues en élévation illustrant des modes de réalisation de la forme des découpes selon l'invention ;
• les figures 6a, 6b sont des vues en élévation illustrant les modes de réalisation de la direction des découpes selon l'invention ;
• les figures 7a, 7b sont des vues en élévation illustrant des modes de réalisation de la jonction entre les découpes et les orifices selon l'invention ;
• la figure 8 est une vue en élévation illustrant des modes de réalisation de la forme des orifices et des espacements entre les orifices selon l'invention ;
• les figures 9 et 10 sont des vues en section d'une reliure reliant des feuillets selon une variante de l'invention ;
• la figure 11 est une vue en élévation d'un feuillet selon une variante de l'invention présentant des trous oblongs tous identiques ;
• la figure 12 est une vue de face partielle en agrandissement de la reliure coopérant avec un feuillet selon la variante de la figure 11 ;
• les figures 13 et 14 sont des vues en perspectives de modes de réalisation d'un feuillet comportant deux couches plastiques ;
• la figure 15 est une vue en perspective éclatée d'un mode de réalisation d'un feuillet comportant trois couches dont une formant écran ;
• la figure 16 est une vue en perspective d'un classeur formé comprenant des feuillets de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 17 est une vue en perspective d'un classeur ouvert comprenant des feuillets de la figure 1.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of several embodiments and several variants with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view from above, of a first variant sheet according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a first variant of a sheet attached to a binding;
• Figure 3 is an elevational view of an enlargement of part of the edge of the sheet according to the first variant;
• Figures 4a, 4b, 4c, 5a, 5b are elevational views illustrating embodiments of the shape of the blanks according to the invention;
• Figures 6a, 6b are elevational views illustrating the embodiments of the direction of the cuts according to the invention;
• Figures 7a, 7b are elevational views illustrating embodiments of the junction between the cutouts and the orifices according to the invention;
• Figure 8 is an elevational view illustrating embodiments of the shape of the orifices and the spacings between the orifices according to the invention;
• Figures 9 and 10 are sectional views of a binding connecting sheets according to a variant of the invention;
• Figure 11 is an elevational view of a sheet according to a variant of the invention having oblong holes all identical;
• Figure 12 is a partial front view in enlargement of the binding cooperating with a sheet according to the variant of Figure 11;
• Figures 13 and 14 are perspective views of embodiments of a sheet having two plastic layers;
• FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a sheet comprising three layers, one of which forms a screen;
• Figure 16 is a perspective view of a formed binder comprising sheets of Figure 1;
• FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an open filing cabinet comprising sheets of FIG. 1.

The sheet 1 of the invention generally forms a surface plane. It is intended to be mounted along a binding 2.

In FIG. 2, the sheet 1 comprises a border 4 soft and flexible typically plastic or analogous, associated with a matrix 3. The matrix 3 can be in a different material, for example rigid, in a single holding, or removable from the border 4.

The border 4 has two edges, namely a free edge 5 corresponding to the free edge of the sheet, and an edge 6 in gaze, adjacent to the matrix 3. The border 4 defines a direction L and includes between its two edges 5, 6 a plurality of holes 7, which are aligned, and spaced along the direction L.

In the embodiments shown in the figures, the edges 5 and 6 are straight. We can imagine that they are not in other embodiments.

The border 4 has cutouts 8, one per orifice 7, connecting each orifice 7 to the free edge 5.

In Figure 3, each cut is delimited by two cutting edges 9, 10, substantially opposite. Edge 9a two ends, 9a and 9b. Edge 9 ends in its end 9 a at the free edge 5, and at its end 9b at the orifice 7. The edge 10 has two ends 10a and 10b. The edge 10 ends at its end 10a at free edge 5, and its end 10b to the orifice 7.

The outline of each orifice 7 includes an opening A delimited by the ends 9b and 10b of the cutting edges 9 and 10.

Two adjacent cutouts 8 leading to two orifices adjacent 7 delimit a flexible part 11. This part flexible 11 is T-shaped, and includes a shaft 12 and two wings 13, 14. The shaft 12 extends from the edge free 5 as far as between the two orifices 7. In the embodiment of Figure 3, the shaft 12 is rectangular.

The two wings 13, 14 are located on either side of the shank 12, between this shank 12 and two cutouts 8. A shank 12 has a part 12a close to the free edge and a part 12b between the two orifices.

The border 4 thus comprises a plurality of parts flexible 11 in a T shape. Each flexible part 11 is bounded by two cutouts 8. Parts 11 are contiguous and aligned along the border in the direction longitudinal.

Figures 4a, 4b, 4c illustrate three modes of realization of the shape of the cut. The cut is straight in Figure 4a. The cut has several rectilinear sections 22, connected to each other, forming a broken line, in Figure 4b. The cut presents corrugations 23, forming a wavy line, in the figure 4c.

Figures 5a, 5b illustrate two embodiments of the direction of cutting according to the invention.

The cutting direction is perpendicular to the direction L in FIG. 4a. It is tilted as on Figures 6a and 6b, at an angle α with the direction longitudinal L, between 45 and 135 degrees usually.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 5a and 5b, the cutting has two edges 9, 10 which are not parallel. The ends 9a and 10a on the free edge side are spaced a distance apart d1. The ends 9b and 10b are spaced apart by a distance d2. The distance d1 is greater than d2 in FIG. 6a, equal to d2 in figure 4a, less than d2, in figure 6b.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 7a and 7b, the ends 9b and 10b of the cutting edges are located on the side and on the other side of the axis of symmetry P of the orifice.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the orifices 7 are all identical, circular. They are aligned according to the direction L and spaced from each other at intervals regular.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the border 4 comprises circular orifices 7 and oblong orifices, the largest dimension is in direction L.

The orifices 7 can also be in particular square or rectangular. The largest dimension of an orifice 7 is not necessarily in the longitudinal direction L.

The matrix 3 of sheet 1 generally consists of several layers, thermally welded together, chemical or ultrasonic.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 13 and 14, the sheet includes two layers C1, C2 welded together to form a pocket.

In Figure 13, the pouch is open on one side only while in figure 14 it is open to two sides.

In another embodiment shown in the figure 15, the sheet 1 comprises three layers C1, C2, C3, of which a C3 forms a screen, the other two being plated with on both sides so as to form compartments. The screen layer is for example of semi-rigid material.

In a preferred embodiment, the sheets 1 are designed to be inserted in a binder 2 of a binder 24 conventional or similar.

Once the sheets 1 inserted in the binder 2, the user can turn the sheets 1 one by one such that conventionally the pages of a workbook. The upstream direction of page flow corresponds to turning the pages from right to left from the beginning to the end of the workbook. The downstream direction corresponds to turning them in the direction opposite.

A binding 2 comprises rigid mounting members 15 or semi-rigid. These mounting members 15 are spaced apart and aligned in a direction R. These are typically rings or S turns. The stiffness of binding 2 is higher than that of the border 4. The mounting members 15 are generally of substantially circular section (Figure 9) or rectangular (Figure 10).

One can use for example for binding a plastic wire semi-rigid forming a spiral, the distance E between the turns S of the spiral which can be significant, of the order a few centimeters.

We will now describe a preferred embodiment of the Binding 2. Binding 2 is a circular binding. Each turn forms an unclosed hollow ring, part of which protruding 18 forming a closed loop is turned towards the downstream direction of the opening of the pages, and a reentrant part 19 open, facing the sail portion 18 is oriented upstream of opening the pages.

The turns thus defined are linked together by arcs 20 oriented substantially in the direction L.

In the variant embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the orifices 7 are circular. Each orifice 7 receives a coil S. The cutouts are opposite the coil S.

In the alternative embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12, the orifices 7 are oblong and their largest dimension is in the direction L. Each orifice 7 receives two turns 16, 17, spaced from each other so as to be close the outline of the orifice 7 for better maintenance of the sheet 1.

This last variant involves alternation according to the direction L of arcs 20a located opposite the cutouts of the sheet and arcs 20b located opposite the shafts 12 of flexible parts 11. The length of the arcs 20b can be high, up to two to three times the length of the orifice in the direction L.

In this variant, the two turns of the same orifice can thus be very far apart from each other. This device provides both good support and easy insertion of the sheets on two turns at the same time time, through a single orifice. And all the more that the bindings may be intended for sheets of large dimension and contain objects of significant weight.

The mounting of a sheet 1 on the binding 2 will now be described.

The number of mounting members 15 can be very variable. For example, for an A4-size loose leaf, a ten for a filing cabinet or similar to twenty for a spiral binding.

Each mounting member 15 includes an internal contour 15a and an external contour 15b.

The mounting of the sheet 1 in the binding 2 consists first of all align the border 4 of the sheet 1 with the binding 2, making the directions L and R coincide. For that, we put opposite the orifices 7 and the contour 15b of the organs of mounting 15. Then manually exert a force, to each orifice, on the stems 12 of the flexible parts 11 (see figure 12) so as to insert them one by one in the binding.

More specifically, the force is exerted essentially perpendicular to the direction L. Thanks to the flexibility of border material, cutting edges 9, 10 move apart and the flexible wings 13, 14 deform and are positioned on the side of the contour 15a of the organs of mounting 15 allowing the flexible parts 11 to be inserted in the binding. The wings 13, 14 then return in their initial flat position.

The cutouts 8 thus allow the mounting of the sheet 1 on the mounting members 15 without opening the binding 2.

The user is not obliged to start with a either end of border 4 of sheet 1.

Once inserted into the binding 2, the sheet 1 is strongly maintained thanks to this arrangement, even if a force F tensile substantially in the direction D transverse to the longitudinal direction is applied.

To remove a sheet 1 from binding 4, force is exerted on it G traction. If this force has no component in the longitudinal direction, the withdrawal of the sheet is prevented until a threshold value, greater than that exerted under usual conditions, is applied. This strength G allows the flexible wings 13, 14 to deform. They are then easily released from binding 2, then resume their initial shape in the plane of the sheet.

A wide variety of sets are obtained by combining sheets and a binding as described in particular according to: format and number of sheets, type of matrix used, the elements contained in the sheets (photographs, computer diskettes), the mode of use (laid flat, vertically, suspended).

The binding can belong to a filing cabinet, to a diary or to any other device having means for mounting the leaflet as described above.

In an embodiment shown in Figures 16 and 17, a plurality of sheets 1 is associated with a Binding 2 and forms the pages of a workbook 24. This workbook 24 includes a cover 25 consisting of two flaps 26, 27. These flaps 26, 27 have a border 28 with orifices 7 able to cooperate with the binding, but their border 28 does not have cutouts 8. These flaps are in semi-rigid material to protect the sheets 1 of the filing cabinet 24.

The flap 27 forms the cover top, the flap 28 the under cover. The flap 28 includes a fold 29 suitable for being attached to shutter 26 by a system of the type velcro 30, which allows the filing cabinet to be closed.

To construct a border 4 of a sheet 1 such as described, the holes 7 are made aligned and spaced in the border 4, then the cutouts 8 starting from the free edge 5 and leading to the orifices.

To manufacture an assembly as described, we set the sheet and the binding, then we exert a force on the border essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction so as to insert it into the binding.

Claims (33)

Removable sheet (1) comprising a flexible border (4) flexible typically made of plastic or the like, which includes a free edge (5) and orifices (7) the border defining a longitudinal direction (L) and being able to cooperate through the openings (7) with a closed binder (2) typically with rings or the like, the orifices being spaced and aligned along the free edge (5), characterized in that, for each orifice (7), the border (4) comprises a through cutout (8) which connects the orifice (7) to the edge free (5) and has two close edges (9, 10) and substantially opposite, the cutouts (8) allowing manual insertion and removal without alteration of the sheet (1) in the binding (2) without opening of the latter, the maintenance of the sheet (1) being ensured despite a force substantially perpendicular to the direction (L) of the binding (2). Sheet (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the two edges (9, 10) of each cutout (8) are spaced apart by less than half the most large dimension of the orifice. Sheet (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the two edges (9, 10) of each cutout (8) are substantially in contact and define a space typically between 0.1 and 1 mm. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the border (4) is wide substantially constant, in direction L. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the orifices (7) are identical. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the orifices (7) are at least two different types. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 6, characterized in that the holes (7) in the border (4) are spaced at regular intervals. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the holes in the border are spaced at irregular intervals. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cutout extends in a direction (D) substantially perpendicular to the direction longitudinal (L). Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cutout extends in a direction inclined to the longitudinal direction (L). Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the contour of the orifice (7) includes on the side of the free edge (5) a cover (A) in which leads to the cutout (8). Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the opening (A) of the orifice (7) is in the axis of symmetry of the orifice. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the opening of the orifice is offset from its axis of symmetry. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the cutout extends essentially along a straight direction. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the cutout (8) extends along a non-rectilinear direction. Sheet (1) according to claim 15, characterized in that the cut includes several straight sections interconnected (22) forming a broken line. Sheet (1) according to claim 15, characterized in what the cut is wavy. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the distance between the ends of the cutting edges (9, 10) (8) aligned along the longitudinal direction and opposite, is higher by side of the opening (A) of the hole, or on the edge side free (5) of the sheet. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the orifice is of contour circular. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the orifice is of contour oblong. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the distance between two cuts, in the longitudinal direction is greater than about 1.5 times the largest dimension of the orifice, usually 1.5 to 2 times this length. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that the length of the cut is at least 0.25 times the largest dimension of the orifice in the longitudinal direction, and generally 0.5 to 1 times this length. Sheet according to any one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that each orifice (7) is suitable for receiving at least one ring or the like from a binding. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 20 to 22, characterized in that the orifice (7) is suitable for receiving two rings or the like of a binding, apart one of the other. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that it comprises two layers welded to form a pocket. Sheet (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 25, characterized in that it comprises two layers of on either side of a third screen. Binding (2) comprising several mounting members (15) such as rings or the like capable of cooperating with the orifices (7) of a sheet according to any one from claims 1 to 26. Binding (2) according to claim 27, characterized in what the mounting members are spaced at intervals regular or irregular. Binding (2) according to claim 28, characterized in that the mounting members (15) are of section substantially circular or rectangular. Set comprising the combination of a binding (2) according to claims 28 or 29 and a sheet (1) according to one of claims 1 to 26. Binder comprising a plurality of sheets (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 26 and a binding (2) according to claims 28 or 29. Method for producing a sheet according to one any one of claims 1 to 26, characterized in that holes (7) spaced in the border (4) are produced and aligned, then cutouts (8) starting from the free edge (5) and leading to the orifices (7). Method of mounting an assembly according to claim 30, characterized in that the orifices are compared (7) of the sheet (1) and the mounting members (15) of the binding, then a force is exerted on the border (4), essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L), so as to insert it into the binding (2).

Images