WO1991008913A1

WO1991008913A1 - Fork-type loose leaf binder

Info

Publication number: WO1991008913A1
Application number: PCT/SE1990/000807
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Nordgren
Original assignee: Robert Nordgren
Priority date: 1989-12-08
Filing date: 1990-12-06
Publication date: 1991-06-27
Also published as: SE8904148D0; SE8904148L; SE465261B

Abstract

The invention relates to a fork-type loose leaf binder made in one single integrally formed detail. The fork pins (13, 14) are made directly in the spine parts (11, 12). The spine parts, the cover panels (15, 16) and the latch (17) can be turned in relation to each other by integrally formed hinge sections (18, 19, 20, 21). The binder is also specially prepared for rational piling in compact delivery packages.

Description

Fork-type loose leaf binder

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a fork-type loose leaf binder of the kind described in the premable to claim 1. The fork-type loose leaf binder is made in one single integrally formed detail. The invention is intended for storing several punched single-sided or multi-sided documents and when necessary some type of index for orientating the documents.

BACKGROUND ART

Previous known fork-type loose leaf binders have been made of several details joined together for the different functions like fork pins and the mechanism to open and close the crossed fork pins. This leads to relatively high total costs for the manufacturing and joining of the different details. The cost for the manufactur¬ ing equipment is therefore also high.

It is known that several parts of the fork-type loose leaf binder are made of poly¬ mer material with integrally formed hinge sections which allow these details to be turned in relation to each other. The cover panels and the spine part have for instance been made as one single detail to reduce the number of details involved. Such a version is described in DK, C, 110 182.

Another disadvantage with the more known fork-type loose leaf binders is their poor adaption to packing of several binders together. This leads to an unnecessarily big requirement for space and consequently high costs for transportation and storage.

Other types of binders made in one detail are also known. For example US, A, 4 307 972, which describes an integrated binder with straight tubular shaped pins moulded in the spine part. This binder has no fastening means that latches in closed position. CA, A, 1 021 216 describes a simpler integrated binder with flexible cards which each is inidividually passed through the holes of the document and thereafter through holes in a curved flexible spine part. These types of binders allow you to put in and take out the documents only in a certain order. Together with the insufficient fastening and opening means the appliactions for these binders are very limited. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a fork-type loose leaf binder that can be extremely rationally manufactured. This is achieved by the integration of all the functions of the binder such as fork pins, fastening means, spine parts and cover panels into one single integrally formed detail.

By a design directly suited to delivery packaging further cost advantages are made. This is achieved thanks to the fork pins and latch penetrating the spine part of the adjacent binder when packed closely together. Therefore a package with several binders becomes very compact. The packaging can be very rationally performed as the binder directly can be piled for delivery packaging when taken out of the manufacturing mould.

One side of the fork pins and the latch can at manufacturing be formed by tool parts that will break through the spine parts. The holes thereby made in the spine parts can be formed to fit fork pins and latch on the adjacen binder at compact packing.

Further improvement can be achieved by:

o The integrally formed hinge section and hook part of the latch is releaved from forces in the opening direction of the spine parts by special ridge sections that are engaged in the closed position of the latch.

o The integrally formed hinge sections of the cover panels are divided into seve¬ ral separated parts. The integrally formed hinge sections of the cover panels can then be located closer to the spine part than otherwise would have been possible because of the position of the fork pins. This means that a larger area of the filed document is uncovered when the covers are opened.

o Different materials are used in defined parts of the binder. Consequently ma¬ terials that are not suitable for hinge sections can be used where the require¬ ments for strength or stiffness are exceptionally high.

o The cover panels are made of certain parts that are possible to knock-out which permits a filed document to be visible even with the covers closed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained in greater detail by the embodiments described in the enclosed drawing, wherein

Fig. 1 shows, in perspective, a binder according to present invention, in open position,

Fig. 2 shows, in perspective, the same binder in closed position,

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section along the line DI - IH in Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 4 shows the same cross-section in a second embodiment with a different material in the fork pins,

Fig. 5 shows a cross-section along the line Y - Y in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 shows the same cross-section but in closed position and open latch,

Fig. 7 shows the same cross-section in closed position but with the latch in locked position,

Fig. 8 shows a cross-section along the line IH - IH in Fig. 1 when several binders are piled on top of each other,

Fig. 9 shows a cross-section along the line Y - Y in Fig. 1 when several binders are piled on top of each other,

Fig. 10 and 11 show a simple outline of a package with several binders and the positions of the binders marked, where Fig. 10 shows the end view and Fig. 11 the side view. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The fork-type loose leaf binder shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is made with fork pins 13 and 14 integrally formed directly in the spine parts 11 and 12. Both spine parts are linked together by an integrally formed hinge section 19. Around this hinge section the spine parts can be turned when the binder is to be opened and closed. Both cover panels 15 and 16 are linked together at the spine parts by the integrally formed hinge sections 18 and 20 respectively. A latch 17 is linked to the spine part 12 via the integrally formed hinge section 21.

Fig. 3 shows how the holes 28 in the spine parts 11 and 12 enable the shaping of one side of the fork pins by a single movement direction (V) in the manufacturing mould.

Fig. 5 shows how the latch 17 in the same way can be formed through the holes in the spine parts.

When the binder is closed, as shown in Fig. 6, the latch can be turned into locked position according to fig. 7. When the latch is turned into closed position it engages into the ridge section 24 in the spine part 11 and the pin 25 engages into the ridge section 26. When the latch is locked the hook 23 also engages into the spine part 11. In locked position the force between the spine parts 11 and 12 is absorbed by the latch 17 via the ridge sections 24 and 26 without directly putting stresses to the hook 23.

The latch can be opened by applying force F at which the hook 23 releases the grip-

Several binders can be piled compactly on each other thanks to the holes in the spine parts for the fork pins 11 and 12 and for the latch 17, and thanks to the shape of the latches which allows them to fit into each other. Fig. 8 and 9.

Several binders are packed in the form of a triangualar prism, Fig. 10 and 11. This form is accomplished through the fact that the cover panels are thinner than the dividing measure for the room each spine part takes up. Two packages together form a rectangular parallelepiped, which is a form that can be effectively used by common transport means and storage spaces. A binder designed like this relies heavily on the material qualities. The requirements differ with the various parts. Long fork pins may require a stiffness that is difficult to combine with the elasticity and tenacity needed in the integrally formed hinge sections. Another embodiment according to Fig. 4 therefore has the fork pins with the fixing of the spine part made of another material. This is achieved by two- material injection moulding with one form part limiting the spreading of the material that is filled first.

The filed documents get an extra large area uncovered with the cover panel 15 opened thanks to placing the integrally formed hinge section 18 far out towards the spine section. This is possible thanks to the slots 27 shown in Fig. 3 which sur¬ round the fixing of the fork pins in the spine parts.

The cover panel 15 can be provided with a section 22 that is possible to knock-out. Fig. 1 and 2. This is achieved thanks to the surrounding of the section by a line weakened by considerably thinner material than the material in the cover panel. The line can in certain places be completely broken through like the corner parts in Fig. 1 and 2. The possibility to knock-out parts can be enhanced by changing to a material with another stiffness.

Claims

1 Fork-type loose leaf binder comprising of fork pins (13, 14) arranged in pairs, two spine parts (11, 12) held together by a firstly integrally formed hinge section (19), two cover panels (15, 16), which through two other integrally formed hinge sections (18, 20) turnably linked to the spine parts (11, 12), and a latch (17) for locking the binder in closed position, characterized in that the fork pins (13, 14) are formed directly in the spine parts (11, 12), and that the latch (17) is formed directly in one of the spine parts (12) and turnably linked to this through a third integrally formed hinge section (21).

2 Fork-type loose leaf binder according to claim 1, characterized in that the second spine part (11) is provided with a force absorbing ridge section (24).

3 Fork-type loose leaf binder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the spine parts (11, 12) show a hole (28) in direct connection with the fork pins (13, 14).

4 Fork-type loose leaf binder according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the latch (17) and one of the spine parts (12) are made with a force absorbing pin (25) and a second force absorbing ridge section (26).

5 Fork-type loose leaf binder according to any of the preceding claims, charact¬ erized in that the spine parts (11, 12) show a hole which surrounds the latch (17) when the binder is in open position.

6 Fork-type loose leaf binder according to any of the preceding claims, charact¬ erized in that the integrally formed hinge sections (18, 20) of the cover panels are cut by slots (27) surrounding the fixing of the fork pins (13, 14) in the spine parts (11, 12).

7 Fork-type loose leaf binder according to any of the preceding claims, charact¬ erized in that one of the cover panels (15) is provided with a section which is possible to knock-out (22) limited by a weakened line.

8 Fork-type loose leaf binder according to any of the preceding claims, charact¬ erized in that the material in the fork pins (13, 14) has different characteristics than other parts or at least different to the integrally formed hinge sections (18, 19, 20, 21).

Fork-type loose leaf binder according to any of the preceding claims, charact¬ erized in that several binders piled on each other form a triangle prism.