GB2220890A

GB2220890A - Binder

Info

Publication number: GB2220890A
Application number: GB8913342A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Roger Bown
Original assignee: BROADLEAF DESIGN AND MARKETING
Current assignee: BROADLEAF DESIGN AND MARKETING
Priority date: 1988-07-19
Filing date: 1989-06-09
Publication date: 1990-01-24
Also published as: GB8913342D0; GB8817187D0

Abstract

A binder comprises a rigid front cover (2) integrally moulded along a hinge joint (3) to a rigid spine (4) integrally moulded along another hinge joint (5) to a rigid back cover (6) all of synthetic plastics material, the spine (4) being provided at its inner surface (7) with a retention or holding system for the contents. Each cover (2, 6), adjacent the perimeter thereof and on its inner surface (11, 12) is provided with an integrally moulded, upstanding flange (13, 14) with the three portions (13A, 13B and 13C) of one flange (13) being adapted to cooperate with the three portions (14A, 14B and 14C) of the other flange (14) in the closed position of the binder such that, together with the closure provided by the spine (4), the binder in its closed position is closed-off on all four sides, one part (23) of a retaining catch (22) carried by cover (2) engages with another part (24) of the catch carried by the other cover (6). <IMAGE>

Description

BINDER This invention relates to a binder particularly though not exclusively for the safe housing and retention of user-insertable and removable contents such as papers, drawings, leaflets etc., and documentation generally.

A well known binder is the so-called ring binder, usually having cardboard covers, with two or four rings attached to its spine, and whist relatively cheap, it is not designed for long life or heavy use or for other than minimal protection of its contents.

According to the present invention there is provided an openable and closable binder comprising a substantially rigid front cover of synthetic plastics material integrally moulded along a hinge joint to a substantially rigid spine, also of synthetic plastics material, integrally moulded along another hinge joint to a sustantially rigid back cover also of synthetic plastics material the spine being provided at its inner surface with a retention or holding system for the contents, each cover adjacent the perimeter thereof and on its inner surface, being provided with an integrally moulded, square "C"-shaped, upstanding flange with the three portions of one flange being adapted to cooperate with the three portions of the other flange in the closed position of the binder such that, together with the closure provided by the spine, the binder in its closed position is closed-off on all four sides, and one part of at least one retaining catch carried by one cover and another part of the retaining catch carried by the other cover.

The invention thus provides a binder that not only has a particularly long life and that is particularly durable, but also one which positively excludes all dust, dirt or other contaminants from entry into the binder and contact with the contents.

The retention or holding system can in fact be any one of a number of industry-standard systems. Thus, if the contents are to be apertured, e.g., by two or more spacedapart holes adjacent a marginal edge, then a split ring system - with either two, four or six rings - may be provided.

Alternatively, a clamping system may be employed, with two clamping faces approximating in length to the spine, which faces are adjustable in position with respect to one another, and which may employ an over-centre or spring system to change between clamping and non-clamping conditions. Yet again the retention or holding system may comprise a plurality of wallets, gussets, pockets etc., of transparent, synthetic plastics material for instance, into and from which the user may insert and retrieve papers etc.

With regard to the retention or holding system, this is preferably carried on a mounting strip e.g. of metal or plastics, of width slightly less than width of the spine, and secured to the inner surface of the spine by rivets, and if a split-ring system is employed the strip may be provided with two or four spaced apart rings, as required.

Preferably, the synthetic plastics material is polypropylene. It is also preferred for each of the hinge joints, which are located along opposite longitudinal edges of the spine, to be defined by a pair of parallel relief grooves e.g., of "V" section with sidewalls at 450 or thereabouts, while the spine is also provided, adjacent each end and on its inner surface, with an integrally moulded, upstanding end wall adapted, in the closed position of the binder, to co-operate with the adjacent portions of the adjacent flanges of each cover, to ensure that the end zones of the spine are also closed-off.

The flange of one cover e.g., the back cover, may be stepped to define an external abutment surface or shelf, adapted to be engaged by the flange of the other cover e.g., front cover, in the closed position of the binder. With this last mentioned arrangement, the front cover is preferably provided along the side portion of its flange (in contrast to its top or bottom flange portions) with an internal abutment surface or shelf adapted to be engaged by the corresponding side flange portion of the back cover in the closed position of the binder. It is also preferred for the outer surface of the front cover to have a recess e.g., a rectangular recess, to receive a card or label for data such as the name of the user, the binder contents etc.

Preferably, two, three or four spaced-apart retaining catches are provided, each associated with the side flange portions of each cover. In detail, one part of each catch may comprise two elements spaced apart by a distance approximating to the thickness of one element of the other part of the catch, so that the one element is a push or snap fit in the gap defined by the two elements. If required, a positive retention effect may be provided by moulding into one catch part a male projection and into the other catch part a female recess. Again all elements of the catches are preferably moulded integrally with the respective covers.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of the binder in its closed position showing in particular the outer surface of the front cover; Figure 2 is a view of the binder in its opened position, showing inter alia the inner surfaces of both the front and back covers, but with the mounting strip omitted; Figure 3 corresponds to the centre portion of Figure 2, showing the mounting strip fitted; Figure 4 is a side elevation of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a view of the line V-V of Figure 2; Figure 6 is a view along the bottom edge of Figure 2 in the direction of arrow A; Figure 7 is a section on the line VII-VII of Figure 2; and Figure 8 is a section on the line VIII-VIII of Figure 1.

In the drawings, an openable and closable binder 1 comprising a substantially rigid front cover 2 of synthetic plastics material e.g., polypropylene, integrally moulded along a hinge joint 3 to a substantially rigid spine 4, also of synthetic plastics material, integrally moulded along another, parallel hinge joint 5 to a sustantially rigid back cover 6 also of synthetic plastics material, the hinge joint 3, 5 being constituted by a pair of parallel relief grooves with sidewalls at 450 or thereabouts. The spine 4 is provided at its inner surface 7 with a retention or holding system for the contents and operable by the user, comprising a metallic ring mounting strip 8, of width slightly less than the width of the spine 4, and secured to the inner surface 7 of the spine by rivets 9, the strip carrying four spaced-apart split rings 1.Each cover 2, 6 adjacent the perimeter thereof and on its inner surface 11, 12 respectively, is provided with an integrally moulded, square "C"-shaped, upstanding flange 13, 14 respectively, with the three flange portions 13A, 13B and 13C of one flange 13 adapted to cooperate with the three flange portions 14A, 14B and 14C of the other flange 14 in the closed position of the binder 1 such that, together with the closure provided by the spine 4, the binder 1, in its closed position is closed-off on all four sides.In detail, the spine 4 is also provided, adjacent each end, and on its inner surface 7, with an integrally moulded, upstanding end wall 15 adapted, in the closed position of the binder 1, to co-operate with adjacent portions 16 of the adjacent flange portions 13A, 13C, 14A, 14C of each cover 2, 6, to ensure that the end zones of the spine 4 are also closed-off, while the flange 14 of the back cover 6, is stepped at 17 to define an external abutment surface or shelf 18, adapted to be engaged by an end face 19 of the flange 13 of the front cover 2, in the closed position of the binder 1. With this last mentioned arrangement, the front cover 2 is provided along the flange side portion 13B of its flange 13 with an internal abutment surface or shelf 2 adapted to be engaged by the corresponding end face 21 of the flange side portion 14B in the closed position of the binder 1.

Two spaced-apart retaining catches 22 are provided, each being a two-part catch, with one part 23 of each catch 22 carried by the front cover 2 and the other part 24 of each catch 22 carried by the back cover 6 with the parts 23, 24, integrally moulded with their respective covers, while the catch parts 23, 24 are associated with respective flange side portions 13B, 14B of each cover. In detail each part 23 comprises two elements 25, 26 spaced apart by a distance approximating to the thickness of element 28 of the other part 24 of each catch, so that the element 28 is a push or snap fit in the gap defined by the two elements 25, 26. If required, a positive retention effect may be provided by moulding into one catch part 24, a male rib 29 and into the other catch part 23 a female recess 3.

Finally, the outer surface 31 of the front cover 2 has a rectangular recess 32, to receive a card of label for data such as the name of the user, the binder contents etc.

Claims

1. An openable and closeable binder comprising a substantially rigid front cover of synthetic plastics material integrally moulded along a hinge joint to a substantially rigid spine, also of synthetic plastics material, integrally moulded along another hinge joint to a sustantially rigid back cover also of synthetic plastics material the spine being provided at its inner surface with a retention or holding system for the contents, each cover adjacent the perimeter thereof and on its inner surface, being provided with an integrally moulded, square "C"-shaped, upstanding flange with the three portions of one flange being adapted to cooperate with the three portions of the other flange in the closed position of the binder such that, together with the closure provided by the spine, the binder in its closed position is closed-off on all four sides, and one part of at least one retaining catch carried by one cover and another part of the retaining catch carried by the other cover.

2. A binder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the retention or holding system is a split ring system.

3. A binder as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the split ring system has two rings.

4. A binder as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the split ring system has four rings.

5. A binder as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the split ring system has six rings.

6. A binder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the retention or holding system is a clamping system.

7. A binder as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the clamping system comprises two clamping faces approximating in length to the spine, which faces are adjustable in position with respect to one another.

8. A binder as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the clamping faces employ an over-centre or spring system to change between clamping and non-clamping conditions.

9. A binder as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the retention or holding system comprises a plurality of wallets, gussets, pockets etc.

1B. A binder as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the wallets, gussets, pockets etc., are of transparent, synthetic plastics material.

11. A binder as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the retention and holding system is carried on a mounting strip of width slightly less than width of the spine, and secured to the inner surface of the spine by rivets.

12. A binder as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the mounting strip is of metal.

13. A binder as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the mounting strip is of plastics material.

14. A binder as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the synthetic plastics material is polypropylene.

15. A binder as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein each of the parallel hinge joints, which are located along opposite longitudinal edges of the spine, is constituted by a pair of parallel relief grooves.

16. A binder as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the grooves are each of "V" section with sidewalls at 450 or thereabouts.

17. A binder as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the spine is also provided, adjacent each end and on its inner surface, with an integrally moulded, upstanding end wall adapted, in the closed position of the binder, to cooperate with the adjacent portions of the adjacent flanges of each cover, to ensure that the end zones of the spine are also closed-off.

18. A binder as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the flange of one cover is stepped to define an external abutment surface or shelf, adapted to be engaged by the flange of the other cover in the closed position of the binder.

19. A binder as claimed in Claim 18, wherein the flange of the back cover is stepped.

2. A binder as claimed in Claim 19, wherein the front cover is provided along the side portion of its flange (in contrast to its top or bottom flange portions) with an internal abutment surface or shelf adapted to be engaged by the corresponding side flange portion of the back cover in the closed position of the binder.

21. A binder as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the outer surface of the front cover has a recess to receive a card or label for data such as the name of the user, the binder contents etc.

22. A binder as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein two spaced-apart retaining catches are provided, both associated with the side flange portions of each cover.

23. A binder as claimed in any one of Claims 1 - 21, wherein three or four spaced-apart retaining catches are provided, each associated with the side flange portions of each cover.

24. A binder as claimed in Claim 22 or 23, wherein one part of each catch comprises two elements spaced apart by a distance approximating to the thickness of one element of the other part of the catch, so that the one element is a push or snap fit in the gap defined by the two elements.

25. A binder as claimed in any one of Claims 22 to 24, wherein a positive retention effect is provided by moulding into one catch part a male projection and into the other catch part a female recess.

26. A binder as claimed in any one of Claims 22 to 25, wherein all elements of the catches are moulded integrally with the respective covers.

27. A binder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.