GB2323562A

GB2323562A - A filing folder with handle

Info

Publication number: GB2323562A
Application number: GB9707136A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Clive Selwyn-Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-03-26
Filing date: 1997-04-08
Publication date: 1998-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 2017-04-08
Also published as: GB9706240D0; GB9707136D0; GB2323562B

Abstract

A binder or filing folder for perforated sheets comprises cover portions 14,16,18 with hinges 20,22 and including a handle 30 having a grip portion 32 with filing tabs 40. The handle is attached to the cover by inserting portions 38 thereof through slots 24 in hinge 20. The covers portions are closed by inter-engagement of tongue 60 in slot 68.

Description

BINDERS The present invention relates to binders and in particular to binders with handles.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention a binder comprises a cover having a pair of leaves connected together along a hinge formation and a handle, the handle defining a grip portion and a binder mechanism, the binder mechanism locating through an aperture in the hinge formation of the cover, to locate the handle with respect to the cover, the binder mechanism being located between the leaves of the cover.

The binder mechanism preferably defines a pair of oppositely extending tabs, the tabs being adapted to engage through holes punched in papers, transparent pockets or the like, to be retained in the binder. Preferably a locking bar is provided to engage the tabs and retain the papers etc.

mounted thereon.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle defines a pair of laterally spaced binder mechanisms, each mechanism located through a separate aperture in the cover.

The cover is preferable formed of three leaves, a central leaf hinged along opposite edges to second and third leaves respectively. The second and third leaves are arranged to overlap, to close the binder. Preferably, a flap on the second leaf interengages with a slot on the third leaf to provide fastening means to keep the binder closed.

An embodiment of the invention is now described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a binder in accordance with the present invention, showing the binder open; Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the binder illustrated in Figure 1, the binder being partially closed; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the handle of the binder illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the binder mechanism of the binder illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a plan view of the fastening means of the binder illustrated in Figure 1, the fastening means being partially closed; and Figure 6 is a plan view similar to Figure 5 showing a modification to the fastening means.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, a binder 10 comprises a cover 1 2 having three leaves 14, 1 6 and 18. The cover 1 2 is formed from a sheet of polypropylene, fold lines dividing the sheet into three leaves 14, 1 6 and 18, to form hinge formations 20 and 22. A pair of slots 24 are provided at the hinge formation 20 between leaves 14 and 16. The slots 24 extend parallel to the hinge formation 20 and are disposed symmetrically across the width of the binder 10.

As illustrated in greater detail in Figure 3, a handle 30 is formed from polypropylene sheet material. The handle 30 defines a grip portion 32 with supporting portions 34 at each end.

The edge of each support portion 34 remote from the grip portion 32 defines a binder mechanism 36. The binder mechanisms 36 comprise a backing member 38 with tabs 40 extending laterally from each side of the backing member 38. The backing members 38 are wider than the edges of the supporting portions 34 from which they extend, to form shoulder formations 42 on either side of the supporting portions 34. The backing member 38 is formed integrally of the support formations 34 and is connected thereto along all but a small portion 44 of the common edge thereof. The non-connected portion 44 provides a shoulder formation 46 on the supporting portion 34 of the handle 30.

The backing members 38 are foldable along the lines 48 and 50 at the extremity of the interconnected edges of the support portions 34 and backing members 38. The slots 24 in the cover 12 are equal in length to these interconnected edges, so that by folding the backing members 38 along the lines 48 and 50, the binder mechanism 36 may be passed through the slots 24. The backing members 38 may then be flattened to trap the cover member 12 between shoulder formations 42 and 46, thereby locating the handle 30 with respect to the cover 1 2.

A plastic sleeve 52 is clipped around the grip portion 32 of the handle 30, to provide a thickened and rounded edge 54.

As illustrated in Figure 4, the tabs 40 of the binder mechanisms 36, may be folded with respect to the backing members 38 so that they may be inserted through holes punched in papers, pads of paper, transparent plastic envelopes or the like, which are to be retained in the binder 1 0.

The tabs 40 may then be clipped into a channel section strip 56 so that the sides of the channel resiliently grip the tabs 40, in order to lock the binder mechanisms 36. Alternatively, tabs 40 may be locked using a slide bar as used in conventional flat bar binders, in which the tabs 40 will be located under members slidably located on the slide bar.

As illustrated in greater detail in Figure 5, a flap or tongue formation 60 is provided on leaf 16 of the binder 10. The tongue formation 60 is located centrally adjacent the free edge of leaf 1 6 and extends from adjacent the free edge towards the hinge formation 20. The tongue formation 60 is tapered reducing in width from the root portion 62 towards the free end 64 thereof. Notches 66 are provided either side of the root portion 62.

A slot 68 is provided in the leaf 18, the width at the upper edge of the slot 68 being slightly wider than the root portion 62 of tongue formation 60 and being positioned so that it will underlie the root portion 62 when the leaves 16 and 18 are closed with leaf 16 overlying leaf 18. The lower corners 70 of the slot 68 are radiused so that the width of the slot 68 decreases to less than the width of the root portion 62 at the lower edge of the slot 68.

To close the binder, the leaf 1 8 is folder over on top of leaf 14 and the papers etc mounted therein and leaf 1 6 is folded on top of leaf 18. As leaves 16 and 18 are brought together, the tongue formation 60 is inserted through the slot 68 until the root portion 62 of tongue formation 60 extends through the slot 68. In this manner, the underlying portion of leaf 18 is forced up into the aperture defining the tongue formation 60. A label may be secured to this portion of the leaf 18 so that when the binder is closed, the label will be framed by the aperture defining the tongue formation 60. During insertion of the tongue formation 60 the radiused corners 70 will force the tongue towards the wider upper edge of slot 68. However once inserted the notches 66 will engage the radiused conrners 70 preventing inadvertent release of the tongue formation 60.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 6 a small semicircular cut 75 in the tongue formation 60 provides a tab 76. The tab 76 is pushed out of the plane of the tongue formation 60, so that it is inclined out of the plane at a small angle away from the free edge 64 thereof. The tab 76 will thereby prevent inadvertent release of the tongue formation 60, engaging the lower edge of the slot 68 as the tongue formation 60 slides out of the slot 68. When however the leaf 1 6 is lifted to open the binder, the tab 76 will be lifted clear of the edge of the slot 68, permitting disengagement of the tongue formation 60.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the invention.

For example, while in the above embodiment, the cover 1 2 is formed from polypropylene, any suitable rigid sheet material, for example corrugated plastic board, cardboard or manilla board may be used. Furthermore, the handle may be made out of any suitable plastics material.

While in the above embodiment, the cover has three leaves, the invention is equally applicable to binders in which the cover defines only a front and back.

While it is usual to punch holes in the papers, pads of paper, transparent plastic envelopes or the like so that the tabs 40 of the binder mechanism may be inserted therethrough, in an alternative embodiment U-shaped cuts are punched in the papers, pads of paper, transparent plastic envelopes or the like to form tabs which may be folded back to permit the papers etc. to be located on the tabs 40. The formation of apertures in this manner will provide a degree of reinforcement, the folded tabs providing a double thickness of material.

Claims

1. A binder comprising a cover having a pair of leaves connected together along a hinge formation and a handle, the handle defining a grip portion and a binder mechanism, the binder mechanism locating through an aperture in the hinge formation of the cover, to locate the handle with respect to the cover, the binder mechanism being located between the leaves of the cover.

2. A binder according to claim 1 in which the binder mechanism defines a pair of oppositely extending tabs, the tabs being adapted to engage through holes punched in papers, transparent pockets or the like, to be retained in the binder.

3. A binder according to claim 2 in which a locking bar is provided to engage the tabs and retain the papers, transparent pockets or the like, mounted thereon.

4. A binder according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the handle defines a pair of laterally spaced binder mechanisms, each mechanism being located through a separate aperture in the cover.

5. A binder according to any one of the preceding claims in which the cover is formed from three leaves, a central leaf hinged along opposite edges to the second and third leaves respectively.

6. A binder according to claim 5 in which the second and third leaves are arranged to overlap, to close the binder.

7. A binder according to claim 6 in which a flap on the second leaf interengages with a slot on the third leaf to provide fastening means to keep the binder closed.

8. A binder according to claim 7 in which a formation is provided on the flap for engagement of the slot to prevent inadvertent release.

9. A binder substantially as described herein, with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.