JP2003211887A - Binder - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a binder in which an operating part can be easily specified through the sense of sight or the sense of touch and biting fingers at a time of operation can be reduced. <P>SOLUTION: The binder 15 is constituted by providing a pair of first binding shafts 19, 19 supported by a base 18 and a pair of second binding shafts 20, 20 supported by the base at a position opposite to the first binding shafts 19, 19 and forming a closed loop by being engaged mutually with the first binding shafts 19, 19. The first binding shafts 19, 19 are shaped in an ellipse having the major axis thereof located substantially in a horizontal plane in a cross-sectional contour and plane portions 19A, 19A allowing the operation portion thereof to be recognized are formed by partially chamfering the outer peripheral face. Bringing the plane portions 19A, 19A closer together by applying a thumb and a forefinger thereto will release the mutual engagement to open both the tip ends of the binding shafts. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a binding tool, and in particular, it is possible to clarify the closed state by the first and second binding shafts, that is, the operating position when releasing the closed loop, and
The present invention relates to a binding tool that can reduce the bite into a finger that applies an operating force and can reliably apply the operating force.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a binding device used for a ring file or the like has a base fixed to a spine cover of a file or the like or a vicinity thereof, and a pair of first bases provided at two positions in the longitudinal direction of the base. And a pair of second binding shafts that are located on the opposite side of these first binding shafts and abut against each tip of the first binding shaft. The first and second binding shafts are connected to each other by the first and second connecting plates whose base sides are located in the base, whereby the first binding shaft and the second binding shaft are It is possible to rotate in the opening and closing directions.

However, in such a binding device, when the binding shaft is in the closed state where the binding shaft forms a closed loop, the first and second connecting plates are kept in the closed state by each binding shaft. It is designed to work. Therefore, when the closed loop is released to open the space between the front ends of the binding shafts, a strong external force for opening the binding shafts must be applied to the first and second binding shafts. There is an inconvenience that it becomes difficult for a person who has a poor operation force to operate.

Therefore, the applicant of the present invention has found that the first binding shaft and the second binding shaft
And a connecting plate that connects the base side of the first binding shaft to each other and the base side of the second binding shaft to each other A new type of binding tool has been proposed in which a spring force is applied to the above and the spring force is exerted in a direction in which each binding shaft is opened with a force weaker than the engaging force (Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-39757).
(See No. 2). According to this binding tool, the engagement is released by applying a force to the first binding shaft or the second binding shaft in a direction in which they approach each other, and the first and second binding shafts are released. The space can be opened, and the operation force for canceling the engagement can be reduced, and the burden on the user can be reduced as compared with the conventional type binding device.

[0005]

However, it may not always be clear to the user who is using the binding device whose operating procedure or operating direction is different from that of the conventional type for which operation is to be performed. Further, since the thickness of the binding shaft in this type of binding tool is restricted to the extent that it can be smoothly inserted into the standardized binding hole, the diameter cannot be increased and the operating force cannot be increased. Even when the force is reduced, there is a strong tendency that the portion that directly applies the operating force to the binding shaft bites into the fingertip.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been devised in view of such inconvenience, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a binding device which can easily identify an operating portion by visual or tactile sense. is there.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a binding device capable of reducing bite into a finger during operation.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a pair of first binding shafts supported by a base, and a pair of first binding shafts supported by the base and mutually interlocking with the first binding shafts. And a pair of second binding shafts capable of forming and releasing a closed loop by acting on the first binding shaft and / or the second binding shaft. The configuration is such that a recognizing means that can be specified is provided. Specifically, for example, a plane portion is provided on the first binding shaft and / or the second binding shaft, and the recognition means is configured by the plane portion. With such a configuration, the operation area appears as a partially different shape, and the user can recognize the operation area through visual sense and tactile sensation. Moreover, when the finger is pressed against the flat surface for operation, bite into the finger can be reduced, and a softer feeling of contact can be provided as compared with the conventional type.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the present invention, the first and second binding shafts are provided with a circular or elliptical cross section, and the flat surface is formed by partially chamfering the outer peripheral surface thereof. Can be adopted.
With such a configuration, since the flat surface portion can be formed by making a slight design change to the existing product, it is possible to avoid an increase in the number of parts.

In the present invention, the plane portion may be colored with a color different from that of the other area of the binding shaft. This allows
It becomes easier to recognize the operation area described above.

Further, an anti-slip portion may be provided on the flat surface portion. With such a configuration, when the operating force is applied, slippage with the finger can be prevented, and the operating force can be reliably exerted on the binding shaft.

Further, the recognizing means may be composed of a slip preventing portion which is colored by a color different from that of the other region of the binding shaft and / or has an uneven surface without providing the flat portion.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a main part when the binding tool according to this embodiment is applied to a file.
An enlarged perspective view of the binding device is shown in (A). In these drawings, the file 10 is configured to include a cover body 14 having a front cover 12 and a back cover 13 which are connected to each other via a spine cover 11, and a binding tool 15 mounted on the inner surface of the spine cover 11. Has been done.

The binding tool 15 extends in the vertical (longitudinal) direction of the spine cover 11 and is attached to the inner surface of the spine cover 11 via rivets 17, 17 for a base 18.
And a pair of first binding shafts 19 and 19 respectively supported at the ends of the base 18 on the back cover 13 side, and the base 18
While being supported at the end on the front cover 12 side,
A pair of second binding shafts 2 that engage with the respective tip portions of the first binding shafts 19 and 19 to form a closed loop with the base 18.
0 and 20 are provided. Here, binding device 1
Each member constituting 5 is made of a metal material such as stainless steel.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 12, the base 18 has a curved shape having a maximum height at its central portion and is provided in an open lower type. Both ends in the longitudinal direction of the base 18 are step-pressed to be attached to the back cover 11 by the surface 2
1 and 21, respectively, and each mounting surface portion 21 and 2
Rivet holes 22 and 22 (see FIGS. 5 and 8) are formed in the substantially central portion of the surface of No. 1. Further, at two locations in the longitudinal direction of the base 18, four slot holes 24 through which the base side of the first and second binding shafts 19 and 20 pass are formed on both sides along the short width direction. Each slot hole 24
As shown in FIG. 9, it is formed from the vicinity of the central portion of the base 18 in the short width direction to the side end portions thereof, whereby the rotation angles of the first and second binding shafts 19 and 20 are large. It has been secured.

The first binding shaft 19 is provided in a substantially semi-circular shape in a front view, while the second binding shaft 20 is substantially U in a front view.
The closed state of a closed loop is maintained through the engaging portion 27 provided in a letter shape and provided between the tip ends of the binding shafts 19 and 20, and the binding shafts 19 and 20 are released by releasing the engagement. Is provided so that the space between the tip ends of the can be opened.
As shown in FIG. 8, the engagement portion 27 includes an outward hook-shaped portion 28 formed at a tip portion of the first binding shaft 19 and a second hook portion 28.
Is formed at the tip of the binding shaft 20 of the
8 and an inwardly facing hook-shaped portion 29 capable of engaging with each other. The engagement portion 27 picks up the tip portions of the first binding shafts 19 and 19 and applies an operating force directed in the direction of the arrow P in FIG. 2 to each tip portion of the first binding shafts 19 and 19. Are provided so as to be able to incline toward each other without interfering with the second binding shafts 20 and 20 and with the shape itself of the first binding shafts 19 and 19 being retained. Here, as shown in FIG. 2 (B), the first binding shafts 19 and 19 are provided such that their cross-sectional shapes are substantially elliptical, and their long axes are located in a horizontal plane. Has been. The outer circular arc surfaces that are opposite to the circular arc surfaces facing each other of the first binding shafts 19 and 19 are partially chamfered to form flat surface portions 19A and 19A located substantially in the vertical plane. These flat portions 19A, 19A constitute a recognition means for identifying a region for applying an operation force for releasing the above-mentioned engagement, that is, an operation portion, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. , The second binding shaft 2
From the vicinity of the inward hook-shaped portion 29 provided on the tip side of 0,
It is formed over a length up to a substantially middle region of an arc shape, and is provided in such a length that the width region of the belly of the thumb can be completely accommodated. The cross-sectional shape of the second binding shaft 20 is also substantially the same as the cross-sectional shape of the first binding shaft 19, but in this embodiment, the operation area for releasing the engagement is on the first binding shaft 19 side. Therefore, the second binding shaft 20 is not provided with a flat surface portion. Therefore, in the case of an engaging portion that releases the engagement by bringing the second binding shafts 20 close to each other, the first binding shaft 19 has flat portions 19A, 19A.
The flat portion is provided on the second binding shaft 20 side without the provision of.

On the first binding shaft 19, the flat portion 1
The area 9A can be colored with a color different from stainless steel, and the slip prevention portion can be formed by providing irregularities in the area of the flat portion 19A. At this time, coloring can be performed by painting or by attaching a label or the like. Further, it is preferable that a drop or a step of the unevenness forming the anti-slip portion is small so that a soft contact feeling to the flat surface portion 19A is not lost when an operating force is applied.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 12, in the inner space of the base 18, the first binding shafts 19 and 1 are formed.
A first connecting plate 30 serving as a connecting member having an elongated plate shape that is rectangular in a plan view is provided between the base portions of the base plate 9 along the longitudinal direction of the base 18, and the second binding shafts 20 and 2 are also provided.
A second connecting plate 31 as a connecting member having a substantially similar shape is provided between the bases of 0 along the longitudinal direction of the base 18, whereby each pair of the first binding shaft 19 and the first binding shaft 19 and The two binding shafts 20 can rotate simultaneously. The first and second connecting plates 30 and 31 are fixed by piercing and caulking the bases of the first and second binding shafts 19 and 20. Further, the first and second connecting plates 30 and 31 are held so as not to fall off by the caulking portions 18A formed at both ends of the base 18 in the widthwise direction.

The inner ends of the first and second connecting plates 30 and 31 in the widthwise direction are provided so as to substantially abut each other, and a spring member is provided in the central region of the abutting ends. Is formed as a spring receiving portion that holds the coil spring 33 as a lock. This cutout 35 is provided with a cutout 3 as shown in FIG.
5 has a projecting piece 36 projecting inward, and the projecting piece 36 is positioned inside each end of the coil spring 33, so that the coil spring 33 is held so as not to fall off. In addition, at the abutting end portions of the first and second connecting plates 30 and 31, there are provided a plurality of small projecting pieces 37 which are stepped so as to be located slightly above the surface position of the connecting portions 30 and 31. The small projecting pieces 37 are combined so as to be mounted on the opposing butting ends, and the surface positions of the first and second connecting plates 30 and 31 are regulated. Further, in the first and second connecting plates 30 and 31, the outer edges in the longitudinal direction are formed as slanted edges 30A and 31A that gradually narrow their width in the short dimension, whereby
The longitudinal end portions of the connecting plates 30 and 31 are easily bent.

The coil spring 33 is arranged so that one end of the coil spring 33 rests on the first connecting plate 30 and the other end rests on the second connecting plate 31. The coil spring 33 is always provided so as to apply a force in a direction in which the first and second binding shafts 19 and 20 are opened. At this time, the spring force of the coil spring 33 is the same as the engaging portion 27.
Is set to be smaller than the engaging force in the first binding shafts 19 and 19, so that unless the above-mentioned operation force is applied to the first binding shafts 19 and 19, the first and second binding shafts 19 and 20.
The closed loop, that is, the closed state is maintained so that careless opening is not performed.

In the above construction, when the first and second binding shafts 19 and 20 are released from the closed state where the first and second binding shafts 19 and 20 form a closed loop together with the base 18, the first binding shafts 19 and 19 are If the thumb and the index finger are laid across the flat portions 19A and 19A, for example, and an operating force is applied in a direction (arrow P direction in FIG. 2) in which both fingers approach each other, the engaging portions 27 and 27 are released. Good. As a result, the spring force of the coil spring 33 acts and the first and second connecting plates 30 and 31 are angularly displaced so that their inner ends move upward (see FIG. 7) and supported by this. The leading end portions of the respective binding shafts 19 and 20 are opened. In addition,
When the above-mentioned operating force is applied to the first binding shafts 19, 19, the first connecting plate 30 in the base region of the first binding shafts 19, 19 can be flexibly deformed.
The first binding shafts 19, 19 can be angularly displaced so as to release the engagement while maintaining the shapes of the first binding shafts 19, 19.

On the other hand, the first and second binding shafts 19 and 2
When a closed loop of 0 is formed to return to the closed state, the first and second binding shafts 1 are resisted against the spring force of the coil spring 33.
It suffices to rotate the tip portions of 9 and 20 in the directions in which they approach each other. As a result, the outward hook-shaped portions 28 and the inward hook-shaped portions 29 of the engaging portions 27, 27 are engaged with each other while sliding with each other to form a closed loop.

Therefore, according to such an embodiment, the first
It is possible to easily specify that an operating force is exerted on the flat surface portion 19A formed on the binding shaft 19 of
The closed state of the first binding shaft 19 and the second binding shaft 20 can be released only by applying a light operating force to A and 19A while reducing the biting of the fingertip.

In the above embodiment, the first binding shaft 19
Although the flat portions 19A and 19A are provided in the area for applying the operation force for releasing the engagement between the second binding shaft 20 and the second binding shaft 20, the operation force for returning the binding shafts 19 and 20 from the open state to the closed state. It is also possible to provide a plane portion in the region to which is given. In this case, a flat surface portion extending in a certain area may be provided on the side opposite to the side where the first binding shaft 19 and the second binding shaft 20 face each other. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the first binding shaft 19 and the second binding shaft 20 are each a type of binding tool that rotates, but, for example, it is also applied to a binding tool of a type in which one of the binding axes does not rotate. can do.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the flat portion 19A is provided, that is, the first and second binding shafts 1 are provided.
Although the recognizing means that can specify the operation portion by partially changing the cross-sectional shapes of 9 and 20, the recognizing means can be configured without providing the flat surface portion 19A. That is, the corresponding area provided with the above-mentioned flat surface portion 19A is selectively or collectively adopted with a configuration in which it is colored with a color different from the color (metal color) of the binding shaft itself and a configuration with an anti-slip portion formed of an uneven surface. It may be done. At this time, the coloring may be affixed with a label as well as by painting. Further, it is preferable that the uneven surface is a fine uneven surface that can satisfy the feeling of soft contact with a finger and the prevention of slippage.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the plane portion as the recognition means for specifying the operation location is provided in the area for applying the operation force to the first binding axis and / or the second binding axis, the operation area appears as a partially different shape, The user can recognize the operation area by sight and touch. Moreover, when the finger is pressed against the flat surface for operation, bite into the finger can be reduced, and a softer feeling of contact can be provided as compared with the conventional type.

Further, since the cross-sectional shape of the first and second binding shafts is circular or elliptical and the outer peripheral surface is partially chamfered to form the flat surface portion, a slight design change to the existing product. Since it is possible to form the flat surface portion only by adding, it is possible to avoid an increase in the number of parts.

Further, in the structure in which the plane portion is colored with a color different from other areas of the binding axis, it becomes easier to recognize the operation area.

Further, in the structure in which the anti-slip portion is provided on the flat surface portion, the slip with the finger can be prevented when the operating force is applied, and the operating force can be surely exerted on the binding shaft.

Further, in the case where the anti-slip portion is formed by coloring with a different color from that of the other region of the binding shaft and / or an uneven surface without providing the flat portion, the processing is more efficient than the case where the flat portion is provided. It will be easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a main part when a binding device according to an embodiment is applied to a file.

FIG. 2A is an enlarged schematic perspective view of the binding device, and FIG.
Is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the binding device in an open state.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the binding device.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 5 in which a coil spring is omitted.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the binding device in an open state.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the binding device.

9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG.

10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG.

11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG.

12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line EE of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

15 binding tools 18 base 19 First binding axis 19A Flat part (recognition means) 20 Second binding axis

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A pair of first binding shafts supported by a base, and a pair of first binding shafts supported by the base and capable of interacting with the first binding shafts to form and release a closed loop. A binding device including a pair of second binding shafts, wherein the first binding shaft and / or the second binding shaft is provided with a recognition unit capable of identifying an operation location. 2. A pair of first binding shafts supported by a base, and a pair of first binding shafts supported by the base and interacting with the first binding shafts so that a closed loop can be formed and released. A binding tool including a pair of second binding shafts, wherein the first binding shaft and / or the second binding shaft is provided with a flat surface portion in a region to which an operation force is applied. A binding tool. 3. The first and second binding shafts are provided with a circular or elliptical cross-sectional shape, and the outer peripheral surface is partially chamfered to form the flat surface portion. The binding tool according to claim 2. 4. The binding device according to claim 2, wherein the flat surface portion is colored with a color different from that of other regions of the binding shaft. 5. The binding tool according to claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein a slip prevention portion is provided on the flat surface portion. 6. The binding device according to claim 1, wherein the recognizing unit is formed of a slip prevention portion that is colored and / or has an uneven surface with a color different from other areas of the binding shaft.