1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an accessory for a writing board, a file or the like, as well as a writing board, file or the like which is equipped with such an accessory or which is fit, in other words comprises special provisions, to be equipped with such an accessory.
For clarity's sake, we will only mention a file in what follows, by which is meant, as if it were, every support upon which the accessory can be provided.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
It is known that, in order to keep loose documents together, use can be made of a file consisting of a front wall part, a rear wall part connected to it by means of a back part, and at least one inwardly folded flap formed on one of the aforesaid wall parts which is held at a distance from the accompanying wall part via side pieces. When the file is folded open, the loose documents can be slid in the space situated between the flap and the wall part onto which said flap is fixed. By folding up the file, the loose documents are prevented from leaving the space.
It is also known that such files with separate side pieces can be commercialized, which side pieces will have to be mounted later on by the consumer or retailer. This offers the advantage that the whole, formed of the above-mentioned wall parts, the back part and the flap, can be made flat, such that, in view of its commercialization and distribution, the volume to be packed and transported can be reduced to a minimum.
It is also known to mount a binding mechanism with rings on the flap, near its free end, in the factory, so that documents can be stored loosely in the file in the above-mentioned space on the one hand, and documents can also be fixed in the file by means of the binding mechanism on the other hand.
A disadvantage of such a binding mechanism which is permanently fixed on the flap consists in that it takes up a lot of space and that one cannot always be sure that the selected binding mechanism is the right one. Another disadvantage consists in that the fixed binding mechanism on the flap forms an obstacle, so that parcels containing such files are more difficult to pack and to distribute. Especially in the case of files whereby, as mentioned above, use is made of separate connecting pieces to keep said flap at a distance from the accompanying wall part, the major advantage that such files could be packed with a minimum of lost space, is undone so to say by the presence of the binding mechanism.
The present invention aims an accessory for a file which is in the first place meant to be used with the aforesaid type of file and with which the above-mentioned disadvantages of the ring mechanism which is fixed on the flap can be excluded or at least minimized. In general, however, it also aims an accessory which can be used in combination with other types of files, and which offers several advantages.
To this end, the invention concerns an accessory for a file, characterized in that it at least consists of a holder which can be provided to a file whereby this holder works in conjunction with or can work in conjunction with a binding mechanism of the type containing elements over which documents that are provided with openings can be threaded on the one hand, and whereby this holder comprises means which make it possible to attach it manually to a file on the other hand.
By manually is meant that the holder can be provided to the file by the consumer or the retailer himself, without any machinery, and preferably not any tools either being required.
By making use of a binding mechanism provided on a holder according to the invention, which holder can be provided to a file by the consumer himself or the like, it is clear that several advantages are obtained.
Thus, for example, the consumer can decide himself whether he either or not wishes to equip a file with a binding mechanism.
As holders with binding mechanisms of different nature or size are offered, the user can determine himself what sort of binding mechanism he will equip the file with.
By packing and distributing the actual files on the one hand and the holders with the binding mechanism on the other hand while they are not coupled, the occupied volume can be reduced to a minimum.
Although the present invention can be realized with different types of binding mechanisms, it is clear that it is particularly useful in the case where the binding mechanism is a mechanism of the type which is equipped with rings having a predominantly rigid shape, consisting of at least two parts provided on a base element and which can be moved between an open and a closed position. Such conventional ring binding mechanisms occupy relatively much space as such, and it is particularly useful if they can be transported when dismounted.
The binding mechanism is preferably mounted fixed on the holder, but according to a variant it is not excluded to mount it in a replaceable manner on the holder such that, with only one holder, it is possible to provide several optional binding mechanisms for a file. The binding mechanism can hereby be connected to the holder in any way whatsoever. In case of a fixed connection, it is for example possible to use rivets. In the case of a replaceable system, use can be made of screwed connections, snap-in systems, etc.
The means which make it possible to fix the holder to a file consist in their simplest form of a U-shaped part which is provided over the file edge concerned in a clamping manner, so that the holder can be removed again at any time and can possibly be used with another file.
The above-mentioned means preferably consist of detachable connecting means which, after the accessory has been provided to a file, also make it possible to remove and provide them at any time.
According to the most preferred embodiment, the means which make it possible to fix the holder to a file consist of connecting means providing for a snap-in connection. As a result, the holder can be easily snapped in a file, without any complicated mounting operations being required.
The holder, in particular the above-mentioned means for fixing it to a file, preferably comprises locking means which allow to keep the holder in place in relation to the file, which preferably consist of parts such as pens which can mesh in openings in the file.
The holder can be either or not equally long as the element upon which it is provided.
Naturally, the invention also concerns files which are equipped with a holder and a binding mechanism as described above.
The invention also concerns files which are characterized in that they comprise provisions, in particular openings or the like, which make it possible to equip these files with such an accessory.
In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiments are described as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The accessory 1 mainly consists of a holder 4 upon which is provided a binding mechanism 5 and which is provided with means 6 which enable the holder 4 to be manually fixed to the file 3.
The binding mechanism 5 is of the type comprising elements, in particular rings 7, over which documents 8 provided with openings 9 can be threaded. The rings 7 are produced in the conventional manner. They have a predominantly rigid shape and each consist of at least two parts 10–11 provided on a base element 12 and which can be moved between an open and a closed condition. This base element 12 preferably comprises a snap-in system known as such which allows the parts 10–11 to be moved to and fro over a dead centre by exerting a force in order to put them in an open, closed position respectively. It is clear that, according to a variant, the base element 12 may also comprise other systems, such as for example a lever-operated system.
In the example from
The holder 4, in particular the above-mentioned means 6, are configured such that the holder 4 can be provided over the edge 14 of the wall part 2. To this end, the holder 4 is mainly made as a U-shaped body which can be pushed over the edge 14.
The U-shaped holder 4 hereby comprises a part 15 which is situated in a first plane 16 and a part 17 which is situated in a second plane 18, as well as a back part 19 connecting the parts 15 and 17. The parts 15 and 17 form the legs of the U-shape and define contact surfaces 20–21 on their sides turned towards one another, situated parallel to one another at a mutual distance D1 which corresponds or practically corresponds to the thickness D2 of the wall part 2 for which the accessory 1 has been designed.
The part 15 is made as a supporting plate, designed to lie against the wall part 2, such that a stable support is offered and the binding mechanism 5 will not tilt in relation to the wall part 2.
The part 17 forms an elastically bendable part and is provided with unitary parts, in this case two round pins 22 with beveled far ends 23, which can work in conjunction with openings 24 in the wall part 2, in this case in the shape of round perforations. These pins 22 thus form locking means which enable the holder 4, as will be explained hereafter, to be held in place in relation to the file 3.
The working and use of the accessory 1 can be easily derived from
In order to fix the accessory 1 on the wall part 2, the part 17 is elastically bent open and, subsequently, as represented in
The distance at which the openings 24 are situated from the edge 14 is preferably selected such that the holder 4 ends up with its back part 17 against said edge 14, which contributes to the stability of the fixing.
After the holder 4 has been fixed to the file 3, the file 3 can be used as a ring file.
It is clear that the invention is not restricted to binding mechanisms 5 with two rings 7.
Also, instead of round openings 24 and round parts or pins 22, holes and co-operating parts in other shapes can be applied. In the embodiment from
In the embodiment from
It is clear that the holder 4 must not necessarily be U-shaped and that the means 6 and, in particular the locking means used thereby to keep the holder 4 in its position in relation to a file 3, can be made according to a large number of variants.
As an illustration, a variant is represented in
The variant from
The invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiments given as an example and represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such an accessory, as well as the files which can be equipped with such an accessory, can be made in different shapes and dimensions while still remaining within the scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2002/0448 | Jul 2002 | BE | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20040062593 A1 | Apr 2004 | US |