JP2013146950A - Searchable binder - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a binder management system having a cabinet with shelves for removable storage of searchable binders.SOLUTION: Each binder has a body including front, rear and spine covers. Each binder 10-i has an upper resistance contact 24-i and a lower resistance contact 25-i which are subjected to resistance engagement with a conductive member attached to the vicinity of the front surface of the surface of a shelf 31 and extended outward. Each binder has a binder identification circuit, coupled to an LED attached to the position which can be viewed when the binder exists on the shelf, of the spine cover of the binder. When a binder identification signal from a host computer is applied to the conductive member on the shelf, the signal is transferred to the binder identification circuit by a binder contact member. When the coincidence of the signal is obtained, the LED is operated to support a user to find out the binder. The LED and an arbitrary audible indicator are attached to the shelf, to further support the user to find out a desired binder.

Description

  The present invention relates generally to document management, and more particularly to an improved document management technique that uses a set of searchable binders.

  Medical records, legal and corporate offices, and some homes generally use notebook binders (“binders”) to store medical, legal, other corporate and personal use documents . A typical binder has a front cover, a back cover, and a back cover that connects the two covers. A multi-ring manually operated binder mechanism having two or more two-part arcuate rings is permanently attached inside the binder, and a plurality of holes corresponding to the number of rings of the binder mechanism are provided at the attachment end. Facilitates insertion, storage and removal of documents formed along the way. Typically, individual binders are removably supported on the shelf by placing the closed binder cover and the bottom edge of the spine on the top surface of the support shelf. Typically, a plurality of binders are placed on a given shelf, and typically a plurality of shelves are incorporated into a structure such as a cabinet that supports the shelves. Some sort of document management system is required to provide immediate access to documents in various binders.

  Normally, document management is performed by binder management. First, individual documents are assigned and stored in a specific binder dedicated to a specific subject document (such as a “utility fee” for a specific account). The related documents created thereafter are usually assigned and stored in this same binder. When the binder is full of documents, a new binder is prepared to accept additional documents of the same category.

  Binder management is typically done by labeling where individual binders are visible when they are stored on shelves (usually somewhere on the binder back cover). This label includes readable information describing the contents of the binder. This readable information typically takes the form of short identification information such as an account name, a subject (such as an “account statement”).

  In order to provide quick access to individual documents in the binder, some sort of index structure is usually used to identify the location of the individual binders. A commonly used simple method is to manually prepare a master list of all binders in the binder management system and refer to the individual binders by label information to determine the location of individual binders in shelves and cabinets. It is to be. For a large number of installations, a more advanced index structure is used, such as short-form identifiers and computer indexing that lists all binders with a corresponding expanded more thorough description of the binder content. . Even with such a computer configuration, in order to identify a given binder to the user, it is still necessary to use a readable label for each binder. Using readable labels is highly undesirable because unauthorized users can easily search for binders that contain a particular binder name or a particular type of information. Nevertheless, known binder management systems require the use of visible labels to reasonably locate the binder.

  In these applications where multiple individuals can access the binder, there is usually some way to monitor the placement of the binder. For example, in corporate applications, it is convenient and sometimes necessary to perform a rental and return procedure with a signature so that the location of a given binder can always be known. Typically, such monitoring attempts do not allow the binder to be accurately tracked by individuals not following the procedure properly. Therefore, at any time, the integrity of the binder management system can only be verified by actually examining the individual shelves and comparing the binder and its contents to the main index. However, this approach is time consuming and burdensome, which is therefore a serious disadvantage.

  In known binder management systems of the type described above, given a content identifier to a binder, the binder is permanently associated with the nature of the content. To change the content to some other category, this binder must be disposed of and replaced with a new unlabeled binder, or the identification label must be changed. Also, the main index must be updated manually or using a computer in a computer indexing system. The office staff does not always perform these processes, and as a result, the integrity of the binder system is impaired.

  In all examples of known binder management systems, the binder is typically provided with some type of identification mark that is human or machine readable, such as a label on the back cover of an individual binder. More advanced systems use a computer to help track the binder. If the binder is removed from its usual location, some procedure can usually be used to indicate that this binder has been removed from its usual location. Typically, this procedure relies on the operator manually entering changes into the system computer or using a label reader (such as a bar code reader) to enter information into the system computer. Unfortunately, not all users faithfully follow this binder tracking process, and as a result, many binders can be lost at any time from their assigned shelf locations.

  A further disadvantage of known binder management systems is that it takes unnecessarily time to visually locate the desired binder even when the binder is in the right place. The user must visually read the individual binder spine labels on a given shelf in a given cabinet until the desired binder is visually identified by the label information. If the desired binder is misplaced on the wrong shelf in the same cabinet, the user must visually read all the binders on other shelves in this same cabinet until the desired binder is visually identified. I must. If the desired binder is not found after visually reading all the binders on all shelves in the same cabinet, the user can find the desired binder or on all shelves in all cabinets in the binder storage area. There is no choice but to continue the process of visually reading the binders on the shelves in the other cabinets of the binder storage area until all the binders are visually read and the desired binder is not found.

  The present invention includes a searchable binder suitable for use in a binder management system that does not have the disadvantages described above and that allows for quick and efficient localization of binders in a document management system.

From an apparatus perspective, the present invention includes a searchable binder for use in a binder management system, the binder comprising:
A binder body having a front cover, a back cover, and a back cover connecting the front cover and the back cover;
A binder mechanism inside the binder body, preferably attached to the inner surface of the back cover;
Visible indicators such as LEDs attached to the position of the binder body visible from the outside of the binder, preferably on the back cover;
First and second resistive contact members for receiving a binder identification signal from a source having a contact portion carried by the binder body and partially extending to the outside of the binder body;
A binder identification circuit attached to the binder body and coupled to the first and second resistive contact members and the visual indicator for activating the visual indicator when the received binder identification signal designates the binder as a binder ,
Have

  The spine has an inner surface that terminates at an upper end and a lower end, and the first resistive contact member is preferably attached adjacent to the upper end of the inner surface of the spine, and the second resistive contact member is It is preferably attached adjacent to the lower end of the inner surface.

  In the first embodiment, each of the first and second resistive contact members includes a body portion that terminates in a curved outer end that extends outwardly of the spine. In the second embodiment, each of the first and second resistive contact members is captured between a housing having an internal volume, a ball contact movably received within the internal volume, and the ball contact and the housing. And an urging spring for urging the ball contact in the outward direction.

  In the first embodiment, the binder identification signal includes a binder address specific to the associated binder, and the binder identification circuit includes an addressable decoder. According to the second embodiment, the binder identification signal comprises a high frequency signal having a frequency specific to the associated binder, and the binder identification circuit comprises a crystal having a resonance frequency equal to the frequency unique to the associated binder. To do.

Viewed from a combination perspective, the present invention comprises a storage cabinet for a plurality of searchable binders comprising an upper shelf having a lower surface and a lower shelf having an upper surface;
A first resistive conductive member mounted on the lower surface of the upper shelf and adapted to receive a binder identification signal from a source;
A second resistive conductive member mounted on the upper surface of the lower shelf and adapted to receive a binder identification signal from a source;
A searchable binder that is removably received on the bottom shelf,
This binder is equipped with
A binder body having a front cover, a back cover, and a back cover connecting the front cover and the back cover;
A binder mechanism mounted on the inside of the binder body, preferably on the inner surface of the back cover;
A visible indicator such as an LED mounted on the back cover, preferably a position visible from the outside of the binder of the binder body when the binder is placed on the lower shelf;
First and second resistance contact members carried by the binder body and having contact portions extending partially outside the binder body;
The first and second resistance contact members are in resistance engagement with the first and second resistance conductive members when the binder is placed on the lower shelf, and the first and second resistance contact members are A binder identification signal present in at least one of the resistive conductive members is transferred to the first and second resistive contact members, and the binder includes:
A binder identification circuit, attached to the binder body and coupled to the first and second resistive contact members and the visual indicator, for activating the visual indicator when the received binder identification signal designates the binder as a binder. Also have.

  The spine has an inner surface that terminates at an upper end and a lower end, the first resistive contact member is attached adjacent to the upper end of the inner surface of the spine, and the second resistive contact member is a lower end of the inner surface of the spine Attached adjacent to.

  In the first embodiment, each of the first and second resistive contact members includes a body portion that terminates in a curved outer end that extends outwardly of the spine. In the second embodiment, each of the first and second resistive contact members is captured between a housing having an internal volume, a ball contact movably received within the internal volume, and the ball contact and the housing. And an urging spring for urging the ball contact in the outward direction.

  In the first embodiment, the binder identification signal includes a binder address specific to the associated binder, and the binder identification circuit includes an addressable decoder. In a second embodiment, the binder identification signal comprises a high frequency signal having a frequency unique to the associated binder, and the binder identification circuit comprises a crystal having a resonant frequency equal to the frequency unique to the associated binder.

  This combination may further include a visual indicator attached to at least one of the upper shelf and the lower shelf to visually indicate that the desired binder is present on one of the shelves.

  Similarly, the combination can further include an audible indicator attached to at least one of the upper and lower shelves to audibly indicate that the desired binder is present on one of the shelves.

  During the binder search, the operator can enter the appropriate binder information into the host computer, which performs a table search for binder identification information, i.e. address or crystal frequency, all of this information. Can be sent to the binder cabinet. If the binder identification signal matches the binder by the binder identification circuit, a visual indicator on the corresponding binder is activated to allow the user to visually identify the binder being searched. Also, in a wide or brightly illuminated binder storage area, a shelf visible indicator and an optional shelf audible indicator help the user locate the desired binder location.

  For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying figures.

It is a perspective view of the binder by this invention. It is a top view in the state where the binder of Drawing 1 opened. It is a perspective view of a pair of multi-shelf binder storage cabinet. FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial front schematic view showing a removable contact configuration and electrical components of a portion of a binder storage cabinet. FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial front view of another removable contact configuration of a portion of a cabinet shelf. It is the schematic which further shows the contact structure of FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a first binder identification circuit using an addressable decoder. It is a block diagram which shows the binder location specification technique used with a 1st binder identification circuit. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a second binder identification circuit that uses crystal resonance at a natural frequency. FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing local electrical components for use with a second binder identification circuit. It is a block diagram which shows the binder location specification technique used with a 2nd binder identification circuit.

  Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show one binder according to the present invention. As can be seen from these drawings, the binder 10 includes a front cover 12, a back cover 14, and a back cover 15 that connects the front cover 12 and the back cover 14. A conventional multi-ring manually operated binder mechanism 16 having a plurality of (three shown) two-part arcuate rings 18 is permanently attached to the inner surface of the back cover 14 and the number of rings 18 of the binder mechanism 16 It is easy to insert, store and remove a document formed along the attachment end with a plurality of holes corresponding to the. On the inner surface of the spine 15, a binder identification circuit 20, carried by a substrate 20a (described more fully below), a pair of resistive conductors 21, 22, an upper resistive contact 24, a lower resistive contact 25, and a visible An indicator 27 (preferably an LED) is attached. The visible indicator 27 is attached in an opening formed in the spine 15 so that it can be seen from the outside of the binder 10. The upper and lower resistance contacts 24, 25 are arranged on the spine 15 at a position extending slightly above and below the upper and lower edges of the spine 15, as shown. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each resistive contact 24, 25 has a curved engagement portion 28 to facilitate sliding engagement with a conductive strip, described below, on a shelf that supports the binder. It is a contact point. In this configuration, the upper and lower resistive contacts 24, 25 can be in resistive engagement with conductive strips mounted on a shelf, described below, where the binder can be removably stored.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pair of multi-shelf storage cabinets designed for use with the binder 10 of FIGS. As can be seen in this figure, each storage cabinet 30a, 30b has a plurality of storage shelves 31, 32 (showing two) and a top shelf 33. On a given shelf 31, 32, a plurality of binders 10-1, 10-2, 10-N are removably received. The individual shelves 31, 32 may be any associated visual indicator 35 (preferably an LED) and any type of AT-1220-TT-R available from PUI Audio, Dayton, Ohio for descriptive purposes. There is an audible indicator 36. A suitable part of the pair of storage cabinets 30a, 30b is fitted with a device 38 that includes a local microcomputer and a conventional wireless transponder (WiFi device) that can send information to and receive information from the host computer.

  FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial front schematic view showing the removable contact configuration and associated electrical components of the portion of the binder storage cabinet 30b including the top shelf 33 and the central shelf 31. FIG. As can be seen in this figure, a resistive conductive strip 41 extending in the first lateral direction is attached to the lower surface of the top shelf 33, and a resistive conductive extending in the second lateral direction is attached to the top surface of the lower shelf 31. A sex strip 42 is attached. The positions of the individual conductive strips 41, 42 are such that whenever the binder 10-i is placed on the lower shelf 31, the upper and lower contacts 24-i and 25-i of the binder 10-i are electrically conductive strips. It is selected to engage 41 and 42 and make resistive contact therewith. Basically similar resistive conductive strips are also attached to the lower surface of shelf 31 and the top surface of shelf 32 to provide this same conductive capability. A local cabinet microcomputer (MCU) 45, such as an AT89C2051 type device available from Intel, Santa Clara, Calif., Or an LPC 1766 type, available from NXP Semiconductors, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, has an upper conductive strip. And a data output terminal 43 coupled to 41 and an input terminal 44 coupled to the lower conductive strip 42. As shown by the leads and description in FIG. 4, other pairs of input / output terminals are coupled to the conductive strips 41, 42 of other shelf combinations. The MCU 45 is coupled to each shelf pair visual indicator 35 and optional audible indicator 36 in FIG. 4 "shelf 1 / LED / buzzer, shelf 2 / LED / buzzer, ..., shelf N / LED / buzzer. ”And other input / output terminal pairs. The MCU 45 is also coupled to the host computer by the wireless transponder described above, as indicated by the legend “To Computer”. As is clear from this, when the binder 10-i having the resistance spring contacts 24-i, 25-i is installed on the shelf, these resistance spring contacts 24-i, 25-i are connected to the conductive strips 41, Engage with the corresponding one of 42.

  5 and 6 show another form of resistive contact for the binder 10-i. For ease of explanation, the MCU 45 is not shown in these figures. As can be seen in these figures, the spring contacts 24, 25 replace the catch balls and spring devices 50, 51 mounted adjacent to the upper and lower edges of the binder 10. Each ball and spring device includes a resistive conductive ball 53 and a compression spring 54 captured in a housing 55. The ball 53 of the upper spring device 50 is resistance-connected to one terminal of the binder identification circuit 20 via the conductor 21, and the ball 53 of the lower spring device 51 is connected to the other terminal of the binder identification circuit 20 via the conductor 22. Connected by resistance. The resistive connection between the ball 53 and the conductors 21, 22 can be made via the housing 55, via the spring 54, or both. In use, when the binder 10 is placed on a cabinet shelf, the conductive strips 41, 42 engage the balls 53 and slightly compress the springs 55 to ensure effective resistive contact.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a first binder identification circuit that uses an addressable decoder circuit. As can be seen in this figure, the upper contact 24 is connected to the address input IN of the address decoder chip 60 in which a unique address is incorporated by the address input terminals A0 to A7. The address decoder chip 60 is preferably an address decoder of the type PT2272 available from Princeton Technology of Taipei, Taiwan. The upper contact 24 is also coupled to the storage capacitor 63 via a diode 62 and supplies DC power to the chip 60 whenever an incoming address signal from the MCU 45 is present. As shown in FIG. 4, the contact 24 is also coupled to the output terminal of the MCU 45. When the MCU 45 supplies a multi-bit address to the contact 24, this information is sequentially coupled to the IN input of the address decoder chip 60 and compared with the address incorporated in the decoder chip 60. If the incoming address matches the incorporated address, the decoder chip 60 outputs a signal on the terminal VT that activates the LED 27. When the visible indicator 27 is activated, a direct current flows through the indicator 27 and returns to the MCU 45 via the contact 25 and the return path shown in FIG. This current flow is sensed by the MCU 45, which then activates the shelf LED 35 and optional audible indicator 36 on the shelf where the binder 10-i with the decoder chip 60 of the matching address is present. The MCU 45 also transmits a “discovery” signal to the host computer when an address match is detected.

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the binder location technique used with the first binder identification circuit of FIG. As can be seen in this figure, the process begins with the operator turning on the host computer in block 81 of the flow diagram. Thereafter, in block 82, the operator enters system identification information for the binder or for the document stored in the binder. Next, the host computer searches the system database for the designated binder serial number or the binder serial number containing the designated document (block 83). When the binder serial number is found, the host computer generates a corresponding address code for the binder to be found (block 84). This code matches the code incorporated in the decoder chip 60 included in the binder to be found. This address code is then broadcast to all MCUs 45 in the system (block 85). The individual MCU 45 then outputs the received address code to the individual shelf code conductor 41 and waits for an acknowledgment from one of the decoder chips (block 86). If the MCU 45 detects an acknowledgment (current flowing through one of the visible indicators 27), it activates the corresponding shelf LED 35 and optional buzzer 36 (block 87) and then generates a “find” signal to It is transmitted to the host computer by the WiFi device in block 38 (block 88). Thereafter, the operator can search for a shelf where the shelf LED 35 is operating, look around the binder storage area, and go to this shelf to find a binder where the LED 27 is operating. If an optional audible indicator 36 is provided (usually in a relatively large binder storage area or brightly lit area), the operator proceeds in the direction of the audible sound until a lit shelf LED 35 is visually found. Can do.

  By operating the host computer in the sweep address mode, the integrity of the entire group of binders 10-i can be quickly checked. Since the address is swept across the range of possible addresses, activating the corresponding binder LED 27 responds to all the binder identification circuits 20 that are operatively present in the group of cabinets, and this corresponds to the corresponding single It is detected by the board computer 45 and a “discovery” signal is returned to the host computer. If the address of the binder identification circuit 20 is lost or not functioning, a “find” signal is not generated, and this lack of response is detected by the system host computer. The system host computer can correlate the absence of an operable binder identification circuit 20 at a given specific address with binder identification information in the system host computer by ascertaining the address of the binder identification circuit that is not responding.

  FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a second binder identification circuit using a single natural frequency crystal. As can be seen in this figure, the upper contact 24 is resistively connected to a first terminal of a crystal 91 having a resonance frequency. The other terminal of the crystal 91 is coupled to the anode terminal of the LED 27. The cathode of LED 27 is coupled to lower contact 25. When a high frequency signal having a crystal frequency is applied to the two crystal terminals, the crystal resonates and a current flows through the LED 27, thereby turning on the LED 27. The crystals 91 in the individual binder identification circuits have a unique resonant frequency that is different from the crystals 91 in all other binder identification circuits in the system, and the host computer assigns the individual binders 10-i by serial number. Contains a master list of correlated crystal frequencies.

  10 is an enlarged partial front schematic view of the binder storage cabinet showing a removable contact configuration and electrical components for use with the crystal circuit of FIG. As can be seen in this figure, the resistive conductive strips 41, 42, the shelf visible indicator 35, and the optional shelf audible indicator 36 are basically configured in the same physical manner as the configuration of FIG. 4 described above. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 10, the MCU 45 does not supply data to the conductive strip 41. Instead, a high frequency generator 93 is provided having a pair of high frequency signal terminals 94, 95 coupled to the upper and lower conductive strips 41 and 42 of the individual shelf pairs in a given cabinet. The high-frequency generator 93 is a conventional device that can generate a single-frequency high-frequency signal over a predetermined allowable frequency range such as 2 to 20 mHz in response to receiving a desired frequency command signal from the host computer. In response to receiving a signal from the high frequency generator 93 that indicates that the crystal having the desired frequency is resonating with one of the binder identification circuits on a given shelf, the MCU 45 may display the visible indicator 35 on the shelf. And controls the operation of the audible indicator 36 on any shelf.

  FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a binder location technique used with the second binder identification circuit of FIG. As can be seen in this figure, the process begins with the operator turning on the host computer in block 101 of the flow diagram. Thereafter, in block 102, the operator enters system identification information for the binder or for the document stored in the binder. Next, the host computer searches the system database for the designated binder serial number or the binder serial number containing the designated document (block 103). These steps are basically the same as steps 81 to 83 in FIG. When the binder serial number is found, the host computer generates a corresponding frequency code for the binder to be found (block 104). This frequency matches the frequency of the crystal in the binder identification circuit included in the binder to be discovered. This frequency code is then broadcast to all high frequency generators 93 in the system (block 105). Next, individual high frequency generators 93 generate high frequency signals of the desired frequency for all of the shelf pairs in the associated cabinet (block 106). If one of the shelves in the cabinet finds a binder identification circuit having a crystal of a specified frequency, the crystal resonates and the corresponding LED 27 is turned on (block 107). This state is detected by the high frequency generator 93 in the cabinet including the binder identification circuit having the resonating crystal, and is reported to the MCU 45 by the high frequency generator 93. In response, the MCU 45 activates the visible indicator 35 and optional audible indicator 36 of the shelf containing the desired binder 10-i (block 108) and generates a “discovery” signal by the WiFi device of the device 38. Transmit to the host computer (block 109). Thereafter, the operator can search for a shelf where the shelf LED 35 is operating, look around the binder storage area, and go to this shelf to find a binder where the LED 27 is operating. If an optional audible indicator 36 is provided (usually in a relatively large binder storage area or brightly lit area), the operator proceeds in the direction of the audible sound until a lit shelf LED 35 is visually found. Can do.

  The high frequency signal generator 93 in each individual cabinet is a sweep frequency generator that can generate a high frequency signal in a sweep mode starting from the first crystal resonance frequency in the binder management system and ending at the last crystal resonance frequency in the system. Can be included. Using such a signal generator, the integrity of the entire group of binders can be quickly checked by instructing the high frequency signal generator 93 to operate in the sweep mode. Since the signal frequency is swept across the entire range, all binder identification circuits present in a given cabinet resonate at their respective frequencies, which are microcomputer devices in individual cabinets using conventional high frequency detection circuits. 45 can be detected. The lost binder does not respond and can also be detected by the microcomputer device 45 in the individual cabinet using the same circuit. A given microcomputer device 45 in an individual cabinet reports the binder detected as missing to the system host computer, which checks the frequency of the binder identification circuit that is not responding. It can be correlated with binder identification information in the computer.

  The system can be initially configured for the binder in several different ways. The most basic method is to place one binder 10 on a shelf in the cabinet and let the cabinet's high frequency signal generator 93 sweep the range of allowable frequencies to see the frequency at which the crystal in the binder resonates, This frequency is input to a list in the memory of the microcomputer device 45, this binder is taken out, another binder 10 is inserted, and this process is repeated continuously for all desired binders. When all the binders have been processed, appropriate binder identification information is transmitted from the microcomputer unit 45 of a given cabinet to the system host computer. This method works well in new systems where there are no existing binders and the number of binders initially required is relatively small. A more useful technique is to insert the first binder on the shelf, sweep the allowable high frequency, check the resonant frequency of the crystal in this binder, enter this frequency into the new list, Insert the second binder on the shelf without removing it, sweep the frequency, add the resonant frequency of the crystal in this new binder to the list, insert the third binder on the shelf, sweep the frequency, For example, the resonance frequency of the crystal in the third binder is added to the list. As each new binder is inserted on the shelf, the microcomputer device 45 has an already identified list of active frequencies, and each crystal frequency is unique so there is no duplicate.

  A system using the addressable decoder circuit described above can also be initially configured in a manner similar to the circuit described above in connection with a high frequency binder identification circuit that uses a single crystal of a unique frequency. The basic difference is that instead of using a sweep frequency technique, a sweep address technique is used. In this technique, a host computer continuously generates an entire set of addresses that are acceptable in the system, verifies responses from individual MCUs 45 in the system, and correlates them with binder identification information.

  The binder management system described above provides several advantages over known binder management systems. First, the location of a given binder can be quickly identified in the binder storage area without having to visually examine all binder labels until the desired binder is found. In addition, the integrity of the binder management system can be thoroughly tested remotely to find wrongly filed binders and to identify binders that have been lost from the system.

  While the above description is indicative of a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, various modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art. For example, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific high frequencies, other frequencies may be used depending on the system designer's basic settings. Also, although the conductive strips 41, 42 are shown as being disposed laterally along a shelf, the individual strips extend inwardly on the associated shelf surface and are spaced laterally by a predetermined amount. It can also be configured as a plurality of interconnected strip portions. In such variations, the contacts 24, 25 may be formed with grooves for positive engagement with the conductive strip portions to provide additional mechanical stability and a predetermined lateral spacing to the binder. it can. Further, although the binder mechanism 16 has been described and illustrated as being attached to the inner surface of the back cover 14, it can be attached to the inner surface of the front cover 12 or the inner surface of the spine cover 15 if necessary. When attaching to the inner surface of the spine 15, it should be noted that the conductive binder mechanism is typically electrically isolated from the elements 20, 20a, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, and 28. In addition, the present invention can be used to manage a binder management system consisting of a number of cabinets located at different physical locations, using internal or external computer networks if necessary. Therefore, the above description should not be taken as limiting the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims (19)

A searchable binder for use in a binder management system,
A binder body having a front cover, a back cover, and a back cover connecting the front cover and the back cover;
A binder mechanism attached to the inside of the binder body;
A visible indicator attached to a position of the binder body visible from the outside of the binder;
First and second resistive contact members for receiving a binder identification signal from a source having a contact portion carried by the binder body and partially extending to the outside of the binder body;
For activating the visual indicator when a received binder identification signal designated as a binder for the binder is attached to the binder body and coupled to the first and second resistive contact members and the visual indicator A binder identification circuit;
A searchable binder characterized by comprising: The binder mechanism is attached to the inner surface of the back cover.
The searchable binder according to claim 1. The visual indicator is attached to the spine;
The searchable binder according to claim 1. The spine has an inner surface that terminates at an upper end and a lower end, the first resistive contact member is attached adjacent to the upper end of the inner surface of the spine, and the second resistive contact member is Attached adjacent to the lower end of the inner surface of the spine,
The searchable binder according to claim 1. Each of the first and second resistive contact members includes a body portion that terminates in a curved outer end extending outwardly of the spine.
The searchable binder according to claim 4. Each of the first and second resistive contact members includes a housing having an internal volume, a ball contact movably received within the internal volume, and the ball captured between the ball contact and the housing A biasing spring for biasing the contact in the outward direction,
The searchable binder according to claim 4. The binder identification signal includes a binder address specific to the associated binder, and the binder identification circuit includes an addressable decoder;
The searchable binder according to claim 1. The binder identification signal includes a high frequency signal having a frequency specific to the associated binder, and the binder identification circuit includes a crystal having a resonance frequency equal to the frequency specific to the associated binder;
The searchable binder according to claim 1. The visual indicator includes an LED;
The searchable binder according to claim 1. A storage cabinet for a plurality of searchable binders, comprising an upper shelf having a lower surface and a lower shelf having an upper surface;
A first resistive conductive member mounted on the lower surface of the upper shelf and adapted to receive a binder identification signal from a source;
A second resistive conductive member mounted on the top surface of the lower shelf and adapted to receive a binder identification signal from a source;
A searchable binder adapted to be removably received on the lower shelf;
The binder comprises:
A binder body having a front cover, a back cover, and a back cover connecting the front cover and the back cover;
A binder mechanism attached to the inside of the binder body;
A visible indicator attached to a position of the binder body visible from the outside of the binder when the binder is placed on the lower shelf;
First and second resistance contact members carried by the binder body and having contact portions partially extending outside the binder body;
The first and second resistive contact members are in resistance engagement with the first and second resistive conductive members when the binder is placed on the lower shelf, A binder identification signal present in at least one of the second resistance conductive members is transferred to at least one of the first and second resistance contact members;
For activating the visual indicator when a received binder identification signal designated as a binder for the binder is attached to the binder body and coupled to the first and second resistive contact members and the visual indicator Further including a binder identification circuit,
A searchable binder characterized by that. The visual indicator is attached to the spine;
The binder according to claim 10. The spine has an inner surface that terminates at an upper end and a lower end, the first resistive contact member is attached adjacent to the upper end of the inner surface of the spine, and the second resistive contact member is Attached adjacent to the lower end of the inner surface of the spine,
The binder according to claim 10. Each of the first and second resistive contact members includes a body portion that terminates in a curved outer end extending outwardly of the spine.
The binder according to claim 12. Each of the first and second resistive contact members includes a housing having an internal volume, a ball contact movably received within the internal volume, and the ball captured between the ball contact and the housing A biasing spring for biasing the contact in the outward direction,
The binder according to claim 12, wherein the binder is characterized by the above. The binder identification signal includes a binder address specific to the associated binder, and the binder identification circuit includes an addressable decoder;
The binder according to claim 10. The binder identification signal includes a high frequency signal having a frequency specific to the associated binder, and the binder identification circuit includes a crystal having a resonance frequency equal to the frequency specific to the associated binder;
The binder according to claim 10. The visual indicator includes an LED;
The binder according to claim 10. A visual indicator attached to at least one of the upper and lower shelves for visually indicating that the desired binder is present on one of the shelves;
The binder according to claim 10. Further comprising an audible indicator attached to at least one of the upper shelf and the lower shelf to audibly indicate that the desired binder is present on one of the shelves;
The binder according to claim 10.

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