WO1993010981A1

WO1993010981A1 - Binder storage device

Info

Publication number: WO1993010981A1
Application number: PCT/AU1992/000637
Authority: WO
Inventors: Paul Woodward
Original assignee: Solution Concepts Pty. Ltd.
Priority date: 1991-11-29
Filing date: 1992-11-27
Publication date: 1993-06-10

Abstract

A binder storage device comprising three planar members each configured as a sector (2) of a circle each straight edge of each sector being joined to a corresponding edge of an adjoining side (3, 4); the assembled product having a substantially planar base (1) and two planar vertical walls (5, 6) the three sides (2, 3, 4) converging to define a three sided corner (14) at one end and diverging away from said corner (14) to open sides having an arcuate profile; one of the sides serving as a base (1) and the remaining two as walls (5, 6) adapted to contain ring binders or lever arch files.

Description

BINDER STORAGE DEVICE

The present invention relates to a binder storage device and in particular to such a device which maintains such binders in a readily accessible state.

For many years ring binders or leaver arch files have been utilised in order to maintain business and in particular accounts records as such systems are particularly versatile insofar as leaves may be removed and reintroduced into the file with a minimum of inconvenience.

The problem however with lever arch files and ring binders is that they are often not filled to capacity and hence have a far greater dimension across the spine than across the foredge. Even when ruch binders or files are filled to capacity the spine still often has a measurement considerably in excess of that of the foredge unlike the situation with a conventional book which maintains a similar dimension from spine to foredge.

The abovementioned discrepancy between the dimension of the foredge and the spine in relation to binders gives rise to storage difficulties to the extent that conventional book cases are unsuitable for vertical storage of binders. This is due to the fact that if a number of binders are placed in a bookcase in a similar manner to that which one would place a series of books the files will support each other from falling over sideways solely by contact between adjacent spines. The foredges and the other surfaces of the binders will not contact each other to an extent which will assist in a binder supporting its neighbouring binder. If such a stack of binders is disturbed say by removal of one binder and the spines come out of alignment with each other the whole stack of binders will tend to fall over sideways. The spines of binders are particularly unstable as compared with the spines of books as the leaves of a binder are not tightly packed nor are the total surface areas of the leaves in contact with each other or with the interior of the flaps of the binder as would be the case with a book. Consequently a binder will rack allowing the spine to twist out of shape which will once again permit a series of binders to fall over when stacked in a conventional book case.

It is of course possible to store binders horizontally although when binders are stacked on top of each other in this manner it is difficult to remove anything but the top binder and in any event lower binders are often unstable^" in this position such that their spines may be urged outwardly from the pile by the weight of binders

SUBSTITUTESHEET above acting upon the essentially triangular cross secti . of the binder.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a stable restraint system for storage of the multiplicity of binders.

According to the present invention there is provided a binder storage device comprising a substantially planar base; two substantially vertical walls upstanding therefrom; the walls being joined to each other along one edge and forming an included angle of between 75 and 120 degrees with each other.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which

Figure 1 is an embodiment of the present invention depicted in perspective exploded view;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a base for a product in accordance with the present invention.

According to the embodiment of igure 1 there is provided a base 1 having an arcuate side 2 and two further straight sides 3 and 4 at right angles to each other the overall shape of the base being substantially that of a 90 degrees sector from a circle.

The base 1 is adapted to receive and locate two upstanding walls 5 and 6 along sides 3 and 4 respectively.

It will be appreciated that walls 5 and 6 are provided with provided with protrusions 7 having arrowhead shaped tips 8 adapted to pass into apertures 9 in base 1 and once pressed fully home into said apertures to lock into said apertures thereby securing the walls to the base. Tabs 10 on wall 5 are hooked into apertures 11 in wall 6 prior to the walls being fixed to the base in the aforementioned manner.

It will be appreciated that the finished unit adopts an aesthetically pleasing shape due to the arcuate nature of sides 12 and 13 on walls 5 and 6 respectively conforming to the arcuate appearance of side 2 of base 1. It is of course not necessary for the working of the invention that sides 12 and 13 of walls 5 and 6 be arcuate.

The dimensions of the base are such that binders (not shown) may be placed vertically on the restraint system; their bases resting on base 1 with their spines adjacent sides 2 and foredges adjacent corner 14 without the binders substantially overhanging the base.

It has been found that if sides 5 and 6 are placed at substantially 90 degrees to each other not only does the resulting product have a pleasing appearance well adapted to sit in the corner of a desk or other piece of furniture (which conventionally utilise 90 degree corners

0 or surfaces) but a series of binders when mounted therein with foredges touching and spines touching it will substantially fill the space provided. A series of binders in the system will therefore be supported not only by the touching of their spines but also by a , -* contact between adjacent foredges and indeed covers of the binders. Removal of one binder therefore does not result in collapse of the remaining binders left in the support and storage system.

20 It should be appreciated that further embodiments of the present invention may be devised without departing from the scope and intendment of the invention.

25

Claims

. The claims de ining the invention are as follows:

1. A binder storage device comprising a substantially planar base; two substantially vertical walls upstanding therefrom; the walls being joined to each other along one edge and forming an included angle of between 75 and 120 degrees with each other.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of the substantially vertical walls is substantially planar.

3. A binder storage device in accordance with any one of the preceding claims wherein the base has one arcuate side and two further straight sides; the straight sides being substantially at right angles to each other such that the overall shape of the base is substantially that of a 90 degree sector from a circle.

4. A binder storage device in accordance with any one of claims 2-3 hereof wherein each wall member is configured such that it has two substantially linear intersecting edges at right angles to each other with a third substantially arcuate edge extending between the extremities of said first two edges.

5. A binder storage device in accordance with any one of claims 3-4 wherein the upper surface of the base includes one or more radially extending upstanding ridges in order to assist location of the lower edge

_. of a binder placed thereupon.

A binder storage device in accordance with any one of claims 2-5 hereof wherein the two wall members

10 and base members are disengagably joined to each other so as to permit space efficient packaging and storage of the three substantially planar members comprising the device.

_ις

7. A binder storage device in accordance with any one of claims 2-6 herein wherein the height of the sides of the walls which join each other is at least 66 per cent of that of the binder intended to be stored therein and the radius of the upper surface of the

_₀ sectorial base platform is marginally less than the spine to foredge measurement of the binder intended to be stored therein.

8. A binder storage device substantially as herein _,- before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

SOLUTION CONCEPTS PTY LTD by their patent attorneys Barker,

Blenkinship & Associates: