GB2279913A

GB2279913A - Filing device for punched papers, with integral paper punch.

Info

Publication number: GB2279913A
Application number: GB9413642A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Mayall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-07-06
Filing date: 1994-07-06
Publication date: 1995-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 2014-07-06
Also published as: GB2279913B; GB9313912D0; GB9413642D0

Abstract

A personal organiser comprising a spine 10 with hinged covers 11 and 12 and a mechanism 13 carrying a set of spilt rings 14, also carries a paper punch devise 20. The punch comprises a first block with apertures and a second block with punch pins, both attached to the spine of the folder and having a paper-entry slot therbetween. The blocks are mounted for movement towards and away from each other (one may be fixed). A confetti retaining cover may be provided. The arrangement may operate the punch consequent upon opening the covers beyond being coplanar. The punch is shown (Fig. 1) as on the exterior of the spine, but may be inside the folder. <IMAGE>

Description

P Ee r 50 n 1 0 A fl i = OrgarlizerW Accessory The present invention relates to personal organizers.

A personal organizer is essentially a ring binder; it is usually of a size somewhat smaller than A5, and is intended for use as a diary'and notebook. It generally consists of a pair of stiff covers hinged on a spine which carries a set of split rings spaced along the spine. The rings are coupled by a spring loaded mechanism which allows them to be snapped apart so that leaves with a suitable pattern of holes along their edge can be placed on the rings or removed from them. The split rings are then snapped together again to retain the leaves.

There are various standard sizes of personal organizer, and a variety of types of leaves are generally available. preprinted for various particular pur poses, eg diary pages (day, week, and/or month, for one or more years), addres ses, telephone numbers. calendars, expenses, and so on. Obviously, blank leaves (or leaves with simple lining) are also readily available.

The situation frequently arises, however, where the user wants to insert a piece of paper which is not intended specifically for a personal organizer; typical examples are cuttings or other extracts from newspapers or magazines, and tickets and receipts of various kinds. In such cases, the user must either tuck the paper loose into the organizer until they get home and can punch it, or push the paper onto the ends of the split rings to force them through the paper and so form the necessary holes - a process which is generally rather clumsy.

The broad object of the present invention is to alleviate this situation.

Accordingly the present invention provides a personal organizer which incorporates a paper punch matching its set of split rings. Further significant features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a personal organizer including a paper punch according to the invention, given by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a simplified perspective view of the personal organizer; Fig. 2 is an end view of the organizer showing the paper punch; and Fig. 3 is a partial end view of the organizer showing the paper punch.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows in simplified form a personal organizer consisting of a spine 10 with two covers 11 and 12 hinged to it. The spine .10 will usually be of rigid plastics material and/or metal, and the covers 11 and 12 will usually be of rigid sheeting material such as cardboard covered with plastics material, leather, or the like. The spine 10 has mounted on it a mechanism 13 carrying a set of split rings 14 such that the split rings can be opened to allow the addition or removal of leaves and closed to the position shown to retain any leaves on them.

The spine also has mounted on it a paper punch device 20. The punch 20 comprises a base element 21 and two blocks 22 and 23, all of which extend along the whole length of the spine 10. The base element 21 has slide strips 24 extending along one face for engagement in corresponding grooves along the outer face of the spine, to normally retain the punch firmly on the spine but to allow it to be removed if desired (eg by sliding or pulling the punch off the spine).

Block 22 has holes 25 formed through it at locations along its length matching the spacing of the split rings 14, and block 23 has cutter heads 26 formed on it at corresponding locations. Hence when the two blocks 21 and 22 are pressed together with a leaf of paper (not shown) located between them, the cutter heads 26 will be forced through the paper into the holes 25 and so punch out holes in the paper; the paper can then be readily clipped onto the rings 14 of the organizer. Block 22 is integral with the base 21, but block 23 is slidably mounted on the base 21 so that it can be moved towards block 22 while retaining the alignment of the punch heads 26 with the holes 25.

Block 23 may be spring-loaded to return to its normal position on the base 20 away from the block 22. Alternatively, one or other of blocks 22 and 23 may have its outer edge chamfered to allow the user to insert the end of a finger between the two blocks to separate them.

The base 21 and blocks 22 and 23 may be of metal or of plastics material.

The use of plastics material with a slight degree of flexibility allows the pres sing together and separation of blocks 22 and 23 to be performed progressively along their lengths. If plastics materials are used, it may be desirable for the holes 25 to have metal inserts and for the cutters 26 to also be metal inserts.

The holes 25 may be enlarged towards their outer ends. A cover 27 clips over the side of block 22 at which the holes 25 ernerge, to catch the chad produced by the punch mechanism.

Obviously, block 22 may be movable on the base 21 instead of, or as well as, block 23. Either or both of these two blocks may be mounted on the base 21 by a hinge consisting of a suitably thinned strip of plastics material. It may be convenient for the two blocks to be mounted one beyond the other rather than side by side on the base 21, so that paper to be punched in inserted between them parallel to the outer face of the spine 10.

The punch 20 may be constructed so that opening the covers 11 and 12 of the organizer to bend backwards from the spine 10 brings them into contact with the punch, so that they can be used to exert leverage on the punch and thereby effect paper punching more easily.

Instead of being attached to the outside of the spine 10, the punch 20 may attached to the inside of one of the covers.

Claims

1 . A personal organizer which incorporates a paper punch matching its set of split rings.

2 A personal organizer according to claim I wherein the punch is mounted on the back of the spine of the organizer.

3 A personal organizer according to claim 2 wherein the punch is operable by opening the covers of the organizer to bend backwards from the spine to bring them into contact with the punch.

4 A personal organizer according to any previous claim wherein the punch is detachable from the organizer.

5 A personal organizer according to claim 4 wherein the punch is attached to the spine by means of slide strips and grooves extending along the punch and the spine.

6 A personal organizer according to any previous claim wherein the punch comprises a base having a pair of blocks attached to it, one block carrying a set of cutter heads and the other block containing a corresponding set of holes.

7 A. personal organizer according to claim 6 wherein one block is integral with the base and the other block is slidably mounted on the base.

8 A personal organizer according to claim 7 wherein the slidable block is spring-loaded to return to its normal position after operation.

9 A personal organizer according to either of claims 7 and 8 wherein at least one block has its outer edge chamfered to allow the user to insert the end of a finger between the two blocks to separate them.

10 A personal organizer according to any of claims 7 to 9 wherein the blocks are of plastics material with a slight degree of flexibility allowing their pressing together and separation to be performed progressively along their lengths.

11 A personal organizer according to claim 10 wherein the blocks have metal inserts.

12 A personal organizer according to any of claims 6 to 11 wherein a chad cover clips over the side of the block at which the holes emerge.

13 Any novel and inventive feature or combination of features specifically disclosed herein within the meaning of Article 4H of the lnternational Convention (Paris Convention).