EP1980412A1

EP1980412A1 - Lever-arch type file mechanism

Info

Publication number: EP1980412A1
Application number: EP07251560A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Chun Yuen To; Ho Ping Cheng
Original assignee: World Wide Stationery Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: World Wide Stationery Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-04-11
Filing date: 2007-04-11
Publication date: 2008-10-15
Also published as: CN101284469A; CN201151264Y

Abstract

A lever-arch type file mechanism (100, 300, 400, 500) is disclosed as including a base (102), two rings secured to and extending upwardly from the base for engaging holes in pieces of paper, each ring including a post (106, 306) fixed to the base and an arch (128, 328) movable relative to the base and the post; and a lever (108, 308) operable to move the arches relative to the posts between a closed configuration in which the rings are closed and an open configuration in which the rings are open; the arches being joined by an intervening part (126, 336, 436, 536) including a support piece (130, 330, 430, 530) engaged with a body part (136, 336, 456, 550).

Description

This invention relates to a device for retaining a stack of hole-punched paper in a file and, in particular such a device comprising a lever-arch type file mechanism.
In most existing lever-arch type file mechanisms, a one-armed lever is provided for pivoting a pair of arch elements relative to a pair of fixed posts to allow pieces of hole-punched paper to be retrieved from or inserted into the file mechanisms, and for closing the posts and arch elements to form a pair of closed rings to retain the paper therein. The pair of arch elements are integrally formed with, and joined with, each other by a bent portion on which a roller attached to the lever travels during pivotal movement of the lever, to effect opening or closing of the ring pairs.
When the ring pairs are open, the upper free end of the lever is very close to, and sometimes abuts, one of the arch elements. Thus, when the ring pairs are open, paper can only be retrieved from or inserted into the pair of fixed posts, but no paper can be retrieved from or inserted into the pair of pivotable arch elements.
One possible way of overcoming this problem is to so shape the bent portion that the arch elements will fully pivot upon pivotal movement of the lever by a smaller angle of rotation. This means that there will be an abrupt downward bend along the part of the bent portion along which the roller travels. Conventional arch elements and the intervening bent portion are formed integrally of a metal. It is found in practice that it is difficult to form the required abrupt bend in this metal part.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a lever-arch type file mechanism and a lever-arch type file in which the aforesaid shortcomings are mitigated, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the public.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lever-arch type file mechanism including a base; at least two rings secured to and extending upwardly from the base for engaging holes in at least a piece of paper, each said ring including a post member fixed to said base and an arch member movable relative to said base and said post member; and a lever operable to move said arch members relative to said post members between a closed configuration in which said rings are closed and an open configuration in which said rings are open; wherein said arch members are joined by an intervening part; characterized in that said intervening part includes at least a first part and a second part engaged with each other.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lever-arch type file including a lever-arch type file mechanism fixedly engaged with a substrate, wherein said lever-arch type file mechanism includes a base; at least two rings secured to and extending upwardly from the base for engaging holes in at least a piece of paper, each said ring including a post member fixed to said base and an arch member movable relative to said base and said post member; and a lever operable to move said arch members relative to said post members between a closed configuration in which said rings are closed and an open configuration in which said rings are open; wherein said arch members are joined by an intervening part; characterized in that said intervening part includes at least a first part and a second part engaged with each other.
Embodiments of lever-arch type file mechanisms according to the present invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1A is a front view of a lever-arch type file mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention in which the ring pairs are closed;
Fig. 1B is a top view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A;
Fig. 1C is a bottom view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A;
Fig. 1D is a right side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A;
Fig. 1E is a left side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A;
Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A;
Fig. 3 is a top perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A;
Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A;
Fig. 5 is a partially-sectioned front view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A;
Fig. 6 is a sectioned top perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A;
Fig. 7 is a sectioned left side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A;
Fig. 8A is a front view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1A in which the ring pairs are open;
Fig. 8B is a left side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8A;
Fig. 9 is a top perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8A;
Fig. 10 is a bottom perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8A;
Fig. 11 is a sectioned top perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8A;
Fig. 12 is a sectioned left side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8A;
Fig. 13A is an exploded view of the parts forming the arch pairs and intervening bent portion;
Fig. 13B is an assembled view of the arch pairs and bent portion;
Fig. 14A is a partially-sectioned front view of the arch pairs and bent portion shown in Fig. 13B;
Fig. 14B is a top view of the arch pairs and bent portion shown in Fig. 14A;
Fig. 14C is a side view of the arch pairs and bent portion shown in Fig. 14A;
Fig. 15A is a front view of a lever-arch type file mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention in which the ring pairs are closed;
Fig. 15B is a left side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 15A;
Fig. 16 is a top perspective of the mechanism shown in Fig. 15A;
Fig. 17 is a bottom perspective of the mechanism shown in Fig. 15A;
Fig. 18A is a front view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 15A in which the ring pairs are open;
Fig. 18B is a left side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 18A;
Fig. 19 is a top perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 18A;
Fig. 20 is a bottom perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 18A;
Fig. 21 is an exploded view of a lever-arch type file mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 22 is a top perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 21 in which the ring pairs are closed;
Fig. 23 is a bottom perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 22;
Fig. 24 is a top perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 22 in which the ring pairs are open;
Fig. 25 is a bottom perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 24;
Fig. 26A is a top perspective view of the plastics piece and intervening part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 22;
Fig. 26B is a bottom perspective view of the plastics piece and intervening part shown in Fig. 26A;
Fig. 27A is a bottom view of the intervening part shown in Fig. 26A;
Fig. 27B is a front view of the intervening part shown in Fig. 27A;
Fig. 27C is a top view of the intervening part shown in Fig. 27A;
Fig. 27D is a side view of the intervening part shown in Fig. 27A;
Fig. 28A is a bottom view of the plastics piece shown in Fig. 26A;
Fig. 28B is a front view of the plastics piece shown in Fig. 28A:
Fig. 28C is a top view of the plastics piece shown in Fig. 28A:
Fig. 28D is a right side view of the plastics piece shown in Fig. 28A:
Fig. 28E is a sectional view taken along the line B-B in Fig. 28B;
Fig. 29 is an exploded view of a lever-arch type file mechanism according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 30 is a top perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 29 in which the ring pairs are closed;
Fig. 31 is a bottom perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 30;
Fig. 32 is a top perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 29 in which the ring pairs are open;
Fig. 33 is a bottom perspective view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 32;
Fig. 34A is a top perspective view of the plastics piece and intervening part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 30; and
Fig. 34B is a bottom perspective view of the plastics piece and intervening part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 34A.

A lever-arch type file mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figs. 1A to 1E, and generally designated as 100. As shown more clearly in Figs. 2 to 4, the mechanism 100 includes a generally flat base 102 with an upstanding wall 104 extending from and generally perpendicular to the base 102. The wall 104 is integrally formed with the base 102, e.g. be stamped and bent out from a same metal sheet. Two posts 106 are fixedly engaged with, and are thus not movable relative to, the base 102.
A hand-operated lever 108 has a free operating first end 110 and a second end 112 which is engaged via a rivet 114 to the wall 104 for allowing pivotal movement of the lever 108 relative to the wall 104 about the rivet 114. The lever 108 carries, via a pin 116, a roller 118, the function of which will be discussed below.
A resilient spring leaf 120 has a first side 122 which is engaged with the base 102, and an opposite second side 124 which acts on an under side of an intervening portion 126 between and joining two arch portions 128. A support piece 130, which may be made of a plastics material, such as polyoxy methylene, is fixedly engaged with a body part 136 of the intervening portion 126 at its mid-point. Alternatively, the support piece 130 may be made of the same metal material with which the body part 136 is made.
When assembled, and as shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the roller 118 rides on and can travel along an upper edge of the support piece 130. As shown also in Figs. 5 to 7, the support piece 130 is fixedly engaged with the body part 136 of the intervening portion 126. In the configuration shown in Figs. 2 to 7, the posts 106 and arch portions 128 mate with each other to form two closed rings, e.g. for retaining pieces of hole-punched paper (not shown). In this closed configuration, the lever 108 is at its lower position, and the roller 118 is at a stable position on a higher edge portion 132 of an upper edge 160 of the support piece 130.
Upon upward pivotal movement of the lever 108 to the position shown in Figs. 8A to 12, the roller 118 is pivoted away from its lower position to its upper position. As the intervening portion 126 is held in place by two claws 134, the spring leaf 120 urges and pivots the intervening portion 126, causing the arch portions 128 to pivot away from the posts 106 to the position shown in Fig. 8B, in which the ring pairs are open, thus allowing pieces of hole-punched paper to be inserted into or retrieved from the posts 106 and/or the arch portions 128. In this configuration, the roller 118 rests in a second stable position which is at the lowest point of a lower edge portion 140 of the support piece 130.
As shown in Figs. 13A and 13B, the support piece 130 is fixedly engaged with a flat portion 138 mid-point of the body part 136 which is integrally formed with the arch portions 128. As shown more clearly in Fig. 14A, the upper edge of the support piece 130 includes the higher edge portion 132 and an adjoining lower edge portion 140, in which the slope of the part of the lower edge portion 140 adjoining the higher edge portion 132 is steeper than that of the higher edge portion 132. It is also so arranged that the horizontal distance travelled by the roller 118 between the first and second stable positions is within 8.5mm, and the vertical distance between the highest point of the higher edge portion 132 and the lowest point of the lower edge portion 140 is more than 4.5mm.
It is found in practice that, by way of such an arrangement, the arch portions 128 can be fully pivoted away from the posts 106 to open the ring pairs, whereas the lever 108 is not positioned too close to the arch portions 128, as can be seen more clearly in Figs. 8A and 9. Such an arrangement allows pieces of hole-punched paper to be inserted into or retrieved from the arch portions 128 and the posts 106, thus enhancing convenience of use of the mechanism 100.
The lever-arch type file mechanism 100 may be fixedly engaged, e.g. by rivets, to a substrate, e.g. a cardboard cover, to form a lever-arch type file.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figs. 15A to 20, and generally designated as 300. A major difference between this mechanism 300 and the mechanism 100 discussed above is that, in the mechanism 300, a lever 308 is pivoted from its upper position as shown in Fig. 15A downwardly (i.e. in the direction indicated by the arrow A shown in Fig. 15A) to a lower position as shown in Fig. 18A, to pivot arch portions 328 away from posts 306 to open the ring pairs, as shown in Figs. 18A to 20.
In the lever-arch type file mechanism 300, the two arch portions 328 are integrally formed with a bent body part 336 at or adjacent the mid point of which a plastics support piece 330, which may be made of polyoxy methylene, is fixedly engaged. Alternatively, the support piece 330 may be made of the same metal with which the body part 336 is made. In this mechanism 300, the orientation of the support piece 330 is opposite to that of the support piece 130 in the mechanism 100.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to a third embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figs. 21 to 25, and generally designated as 400. A major significant feature in the mechanism 400 is that a support piece 430 is snap-fitted with a body 450 of an intervening part 436.
As shown more clearly in Figs. 26A to 27D, the body 450 of the intervening part 436 has two elongate end portions 452 and an off-set flat portion 454. The portion 454 has two rectangular holes 456, each for receiving a respective hook 458 of the support piece 430, as shown in Figs. 28A to 28E. The piece 430 may be made of a plastics material, e.g. polyoxy methylene, or a metal. The hooks 458 are inherently resilient, and may be received through and snap-fitted with the holes 456 for fixedly engaging the support piece 430 with the body 450 of the intervening part 436, as shown in Figs. 26A and 26B. The remaining part of the intervening part 436, such as the body 450, the end portions 452 and the flat portion 454 may also be made of a plastics material, or of a metal.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figs. 29 to 33, and generally designated as 500. This mechanism 500 is structurally similar to the mechanism 400 discussed above. A major different feature in the mechanism 500 is that a support piece 530 is fixedly engaged with a flat portion 552 of a body 550 of an intervening part 536 by a pair of rivets 540. Again, the support piece 530 and the body 550 may each be made of a metal or a plastics material.
It should be understood that the above only illustrates examples whereby the present invention may be carried out, and that various modifications and/or alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.
It should also be understood that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any appropriate sub-combinations.

Claims

A lever-arch type file mechanism (100, 300, 400, 500) including:
a base (102);

at least two rings secured to and extending upwardly from the base for engaging holes in at least a piece of paper, each said ring including a post member (106, 306) fixed to said base and an arch member (128, 328) movable relative to said base and said post member; and

a lever (108, 308) operable to move said arch members relative to said post members between a closed configuration in which said rings are closed and an open configuration in which said rings are open;
wherein said arch members are joined by an intervening part (126, 336, 436, 536);
characterized in that said intervening part includes at least a first part (130, 330, 430, 530) and a second part (136, 336, 456, 550) engaged with each other.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to Claim 1 further characterized in that said lever includes an actuator (118) which travels along said first part of said intervening part during relative movement between said arch members and said post members.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to Claim 1 or 2 further characterized in that said first part is positioned generally mid-point of said second part.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to any of the preceding claims further characterized in that said first part is fixedly engaged with a generally flat portion (138, 454, 552) of said second part.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to Claim 4 further characterized in that said first part is snap-fitted with a generally flat portion (454) of said second part.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to any of the preceding claims further characterized in that said first part is made of a plastics material.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to Claim 6 further characterized in that said plastics material is polyoxy methylene.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 further characterized in that said first part is made of a metal.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to any of the preceding claims further characterized in that said first part includes an upper edge (160) with at least a first edge portion (132) and a second edge portion (140), wherein said first and second edge portions are of different slopes.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to Claim 9 further characterized in that, during opening of said ring pairs, said actuator travels from an upper stable position on said first edge portion in which said ring pairs are closed to a lower stable position on said second edge portion in which said ring pairs are open.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to Claim 9 or 10 further characterized in that said second edge portion is of a steeper slope than that of said first edge portion.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to Claim 9 or 10 further characterized in that the horizontal distance travelled by said actuator between said first and second stable positions is within 8.5mm.
A lever-arch type file mechanism according to any one of Claims 9 to 12 further characterized in that the vertical distance between the highest point (262) of said first edge portion and the lowest point (264) of said second edge portion is more than 4.5mm.
A lever-arch type file including a lever-arch type file mechanism according to any of the preceding claims fixedly engaged with a substrate.