GB2044177A

GB2044177A - Fold engaging

Info

Publication number: GB2044177A
Application number: GB8007696A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Doret Ets SA
Current assignee: Doret Ets SA
Priority date: 1979-03-08
Filing date: 1980-03-06
Publication date: 1980-10-15
Also published as: FR2450697B1; GB2044177B; DE3006759A1; FR2450697A1; CH638728A5; LU82231A1; BE881939A; NL8001028A

Abstract

A binder has a spine (3) which is provided with housings (9) for receiving rods 13 and articulated to covers provided on both sides with a PVC foil. The housings (9) comprises a flat base (10) integral with a perforated portion (11), moulded from a rigid synthetics material which may be welded by ultrasonics. The spine 3 is made of the same material as that of the housings 9. A cut-out section is provided in the PVC foil of the internal face of the spine 3 at locations receiving the housings 9 which are welded to the spine at the cut-out sections by ultrasonics. The spine and housings may be made of polypropylene. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to binders and their methods of manufacture The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a rod binder and to a binding obtained by this method.

Methods of manufacturing rod binders are known.

Known rod binders generally comprise two cover plates made of carboard connected in an articulated manner by a spine which is also of carboard. The two cover plates and the spine are generally covered by a polyvinyl chloride (known hereafter as PVC) covering on both sides, whilst the articulations of the plates with the spine are advantageously obtained by simple welding carried out on the PVC coating between the plates and the spine.

On each of the ends of the internal surface of the spine there is fixed, by riveting, a metal housing comprising a known convex anchoring portion. The housings are disposed opposite one another and their convex anchoring portions are provided with small apertures designed to receive the ends of metallic rods.

In order to stiffen the spine of binding constituted by carboard of a low thickness, it is possible to construct the housings by folding both ends of a metal strip which is fixed to the spine of the binding by riveting and possibly covered by PVC.

The binder rods are firstly inserted between the pages of bound magazines or in holders provided for this purpose along the edges to be bound of document holders or sheaves of document holders each formed of two sheets of plastics fixed to one another along three edges or by a sheet folded along the edge opposite to the edge which is to be bound and welded on two other sides.

This type of known binding has disadvantages. For instance, fixing of the metallic housings by riveting is particularly non-aesthetic, since the rivets are of necessity apparent, and is, in addition, expensive when a metal strip as described above is used. In particular the edges of the convex anchoring portions are always of a sharp cutting nature and impair the cover plates when the binder is shut to such an extent that during packaging of such binders it is necessary to use protective cardboard inserts.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a binding constituted by two cover plates articulated on a spine provided on its internal surface with two housings disposed opposite one another in the vicinity of the two ends of the spine and designed to receive the ends of binding rods, the two surfaces of the cover plates and of the spine comprising a polyvinyl chloride covering (PVC), the method com prising constructing each of the housings in the form of a flat base rigid with a perforated convex anchor ing portion by moulding of a rigid synthetics mate rial which is weldable by ultrasonics, using a mate rial of the same type as that of the housings for the spine of the binding, providing a cut-out section in the PVC covering of the internal surface of the spine at each of the locations provided for the fixation of the housings, and welding the housings into the cut-out sections by ultrasonics.

The cut-out sections may be provided as ultraso nicwelding required in this case as a result of the thickness of the housing bases was previously considered to be possible only between two materials of the same type.

However, it was surprisingly discovered that it is possible to weld the housings directly across the PVC covering.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a binding constituted by two cover plates articulated on a spine provided on its internal surface with two housings disposed opposite one another in the vicinity of the two ends of the spine and designed to receive the ends of binding rods, the two surfaces of the cover plates and of the spine comprising a polyvinyl chloride covering (PVC), the method comprising constructing each of the housings in the form of a flat base rigid with a perforated convex anchoring portion by moulding of a rigid synthetics material which is weldable by ultrasonics, using a material of the same type as that of the housings for the spine of the binding, and ultrasonically welding the housings directly across the PVC covering of the internal surface of the spine at the required points so that the said then is partially destroyed and/or retracted at the locations of the welding electrodes.

This discovery was surprising and difficult to explain. It appears that the PVC is partially destroyed and slightly retracted in such a way that at the locations of welding electrode teeth having a comb shape, the PVC has perforations after welding.

The materials used to produce the housings and the spine of the binding is preferably polypropylene.

However, it is possible to use other materials such as polyester, polyethylene, etc.

The welding electrodes are advantageously inserted in the base of the housing to a depth at least equal to the thickness of the said bases.

The invention also relates to the bindings obtained both in a direct and indirect manner by the methods described above.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a binding comprising two cover plates articulated on a spine provided on its internal surface with two housings disposed opposite one another in the vicinity of the two ends of the spine and arranged to receive the ends of binding rods, the two surfaces of the cover plates and of the spine comprising a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) covering, each of the housings comprising a flat base rigid with a perforated convex anchoring portion and obtained by moulding of a rigid synthetics material which is weldable by ultrasonics, the housings being welded by ultrasonics to the required points of the internal surface of the spine which is made of a material similar to that of the housings.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a flat open binding designed to be provided with the housings of the invention, Figure 2 shows a housing in accordance with the invention, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a housing equipped in accordance with the invention.

Figure 1 shows a binding comprising two cover plates 1 and 2 of cardboard and a spine 3 of polypropylene.

The two surfaces of the plates 1,2 and of the spine 3 are covered by a polyvinyl chloride or PVC covering welded completely around the binding along a peripheral weld 4 as well as between the plates 1,2 and the spine 3 at 5 and 6. The welds 5 and 6 advantageously enable the articulations between the plates 1,2 and the spine 3 to be readily attained.

Cut-out sections 7 and 8 in the PVC covering are provided at the ends of the internal surface of the spine 3.

Housings 9 (Figure 2), also of polypropylene, are welded by ultrasonics into the cut-out sections 7 and 8. The housings 9 are formed by moulding and comprise a flat base 10 rigid with a convex anchoring portion 11 provided with elongate aperture 12.

The housings may also be welded directly to the spine 3 without requiring cut-out sections 7 and 8 to be provided. This method is surprising since ultraso nicwelding generally requires materials of the same type.

The housings 9 are disposed opposite one another (Figure 3) such that the ends of binding rods 13 may be inserted in the apertures 12 of the convex anchoring portions 11. Figure 3 also shows pits caused on the bases 10 of the housings by the welding electrode teeth.

The position of the preliminary cut-out sections has the advantage of avoiding the formation of non-aesthetic folds on the PVC covering of the internal surface of the spine.

Figure 3 shows a binder provided with two flaps 14, 15 provided on the internal surfaces of the cover plates 1 and 2. The flaps 14, 15 designed to receive additional documents are advantageously made of material similar to that used for the external portion of the coating of the binding.

The rods are previously inserted within documents to be bound or in holders provided on one of the sides of document holders to be bound advantageously in several sheaves.

The embodiments described are given by way of example and numerous modifications or variants may be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a binding constituted by two cover plates articulated on a spine provided on its internal surface with two housings disposed opposite one another in the vicinity of the two ends of the spine and designed to receive the ends of binding rods, the two surfaces of the cover plates and of the spine comrpising a polyvinyl chloride covering (PVC), the method comprising constructing each of the housings in the form of a flat base rigid with a perforated convex anchoring portion by moulding of a rigid synthetics material which is weldable by ultrasonics, using a material of the same type as that of the housings for the spine of the binding, providing a cut-out section in the PVC covering of the internal surface of the spine at each of the locations provided for the fixation of the housings, and welding the housings into the cut-out sections by ultrasonics.

2. A method of manufacturing a binding constituted by two cover plates articulated on a spine provided on its internal surface with two housings disposed opposite one another in the vicinity of the two ends of the spine and designed to receive the ends of binding rods, the two surfaces of the cover plates and of the spine comprising a polyvinyl chloride covering (PVC) the method comprising constructing each of the housings in the form of a flat base rigid with a perforated convex anchoring portion by moulding of a rigid synthetics material which is weldable by ultrasonics, using a material of the same type as that of the housings for the spine of the binding, and ultrasonically welding the housings directly across the PVC covering of the internal surface of the spine at the required points so that the said then is partially destroyed and/or retracted at the locations of the welding electrodes.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the material used for manufacturing the housings and the spine of the binding is polypropylene.

4. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the welding electrodes are inserted in the base of the housing to a depth at least equal to the thickness of the bases.

5. A binding comprising two cover plates articulated on a spine provided on its internal surface with two housings disposed opposite one another in the vicinity of the two ends of the spine and arranged to receive the ends of binding rods, the two surfaces of the cover plates and of the spine comprising a polyvinyul chloride (PVC) covering, each of the housings comprising a flat base rigid with a perforated convex anchoring portion and obtained by noulding or a rigid synthetics material which is weldable by ultrasonics, the housings being welded by ultrasonics to the required points of the internal surface of the spine which is made of a material similar to that of the housings.

6. A binding as claimed in claim 5, in which the housings are welded on the internal surface of the spine in cut-out sections provided previously in the PVC covering.

7. A binding as claimed in claim 5, in which the housings are welded directly across the PVC covering of the internal surface of the spine.

8. A method of manufacturing a binding substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A binding substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.