Patent Application
20050060923
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related generally to indicia-bearing devices and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods adapted to associate indicia with a binder clip.
2. Description of Related Art
Binder clips are well known in the art. Binder clips are essentially clamping devices which are used to grip a single object or to hold together plural objects, such as paper sheets.
Binder clips typically comprise a body including a pair of resilient jaw portions and a spine portion. The spine portion is located between the jaw portions and connects the jaw portions. The width of the spine portion typically determines the maximum thickness of the object or objects which may be gripped by the binder clip. The body is commonly formed by folding a unitary metal blank. In such embodiments, the body serves as a spring urging each jaw portion toward the other to clamp or grip the object or objects therebetween. A pair of handles are typically provided. One handle is attached to each jaw portion. Displacement of the handles toward each other results in opening of the jaw portions to receive an object or release the object. As is known, binder clips are provided in a range of sizes permitting selection of the binder clip best suited to the size of the object or objects to be gripped.
Binder clips are available from numerous commercial sources, two of which are Acco Brands, Inc. of Lincolnshire, Ill. and Keysan of Pittsburgh, Pa. Binder clips are not limited to a single design as examples of binder clip design variations have been proposed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,263 (Lorber), U.S. Pat. No. 5,896,624 (Horswell) and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,309,605, 5,806,147 and D372,498 all to Sato.
One limitation of commercially-available binder clips is that such binder clips are underutilized as a productivity improvement and communication tool. This problem stems from the fact that binder clips typically look alike, each having a black monochromatic appearance. The very sameness of such binder clips precludes the use of such clips as a document-identification tool or as a communication platform. And, while quite useful, such binder clips are not particularly aesthetically pleasing.
Efforts have been made to improve the utility of binder clips by associating indicia with such clips. The indicia serve to distinguish one binder clip from another thereby allowing the binder clip to serve as a document-identification tool. For example, one approach has been to secure a tag or title card to the clip body by means of mechanical fasteners as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,133,388 (Merrill) and U.S. Pat. No. 1,139,627 (Baltzley). Another approach, exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,381 (Wooge) and patent publication no. U.S. Ser. No. 2001/0032376 (Payne) involves the use of an upright index tab secured to the clip body. A still further approach has been to provide identification caps or sleeves over the ends of the handles as discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,532,680 (Hashimoto), U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,862 (Hiromori) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,336 (Miller). Binder clips have also been modified to hold indicia-bearing objects, such as the scorecards described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,857,934 (Blackburn).
However, all of these attempts to improve the utility of binder clips have certain disadvantages. For example, specific manufacturing steps are required to make the mechanical fasteners used to secure identification tags or cards to the binder clip. The mechanical ears securing the tag or card could cause injury to the user and the tag or card could become detached from the binder clip. The upright index tab may interfere with handling of documents gripped by the binder clip or could inconveniently interfere with closure of a file drawer containing the clipped-together documents. And, such upright index tab could break off, for example when clipped-together documents are forcefully placed in a person's briefcase.
Regarding the identification caps or sleeves, such caps or sleeves may interfere with handling of the binder clip and clipped documents when the binder clip handles are in their gripping position. On the other hand, if the binder clip handles are folded against the surface of the clipped object then the caps or sleeves might not be visible, particularly if the clipped documents are in a file between abutting documents.
It would be a significant improvement in the art to provide a binder clip sleeve which would serve to optimize the utility of binder clips, which would permit use of the binder clip as a productivity tool and communication platform without interfering with handling of documents and things g ripped by the binder clip, which would present an opportunity to make the binder clip more aesthetically pleasing and which would be simple and economical to manufacture and use.
The invention is directed to a sleeve adapted to be secured to a binder clip. The term “sleeve” is defined herein as a part adapted to be fit over and around another part. For purposes of the invention, the part over which the sleeve is fitted is the binder clip. Unlike a tube, the sleeve of the invention is discontinuous so as to permit the sleeve to be placed over and around the binder clip without interfering with placement of the binder clip jaw portions over an object or objects to be gripped by the binder clip.
The inventive sleeve advantageously permits a near limitless range of graphic and text indicia to be quickly and easily associated with the binder clip. By way of example only, such indicia may include text or graphic information, raised or indented elements (e.g., braille characters), designs, artwork, photographs, textures, etc. The indicia-bearing clip has significant utility across a broad range of productivity-enhancement and communication applications. Such applications include use of the binder clip as an advertising platform, as a document-organizing tool or for use as an information-displaying, productivity-enhancement tool. For example, the indicia-bearing sleeve can function like a file folder serving to identify a group of related documents thereby making document identification and selection easier and more efficient. The inventive sleeve may also be used simply to make the appearance of the standard binder clip more aesthetically pleasing.
The sleeve advantageously provides increased area for location of indicia and permits improved viewing of the indicia from plural sides of the clipped documents. Fewer and less complex components are required and such components do not interfere with handling of clipped documents. The inventive sleeve is adapted for use with commercially-available, unmodified binder clips and is rugged and simple to manufacture.
In general, preferred forms of the binder clip sleeve include a tri-panel binder clip sleeve which is adapted to secure indicia to a binder clip. The binder clip comprises a body with first and second resilient jaw portions, a connecting spine portion therebetween and an outer surface along each of the jaw and spine portions. As is known, the binder clip includes a handle secured to each of the jaw portions. Pressing together of the handles separates the jaw portions permitting an object or objects to gripped by the binder clip.
Preferably, the tri-panel binder clip sleeve comprises first, second and third panels. Each panel is preferably configured and arranged to overly, respectively, the spine and jaw portions of the binder clip. Each of the three panels of the binder clip sleeve have an outwardly-facing surface on which indicia may be located and displayed.
The binder clip sleeve may have alternative embodiments, three of which are presented herein. In one embodiment, the binder clip sleeve is preferably made of a self-supporting material. The preferred binder clip sleeve has a tri-panel configuration adapted to be fitted over some or all of the corresponding portions of the binder clip. The binder clip sleeve may be held in engagement with the binder clip, for example, by frictional engagement between the sleeve and binder clip or by means of a suitable adhesive.
In a further preferred binder clip sleeve embodiment, the binder clip sleeve may be in the form of a foldable adhesive-backed substrate which may be affixed to the binder clip. Such foldable adhesive-backed binder clip sleeve embodiment may be provided in the form of a sheet including plural binder clip sleeves formed therein. The sheet may be printed or marked, for example with a laser or ink-jet printer, so that the indicia are affixed to the plural binder clip sleeves in a form selected by the user.
In yet another embodiment, the binder clip sleeve may be in the form of a plural component device comprising a substrate sleeve element in combination with a light-transmissive sleeve. The substrate sleeve element and light-transmissive sleeve are preferably adapted to have a tri-panel structure permitting the substrate sleeve element and light-transmissive sleeve element to cover some or all of the outer surface of the binder clip. It is highly preferred that the light-transmissive sleeve element is adapted to hold the substrate sleeve element in place against the binder clip by means of frictional engagement. Indicia on the substrate sleeve preferably are viewable through the light-transmissive sleeve element.
The invention includes a method of affixing indicia to the binder clip. In general, the method includes the steps of affixing indicia to a tri-panel binder clip sleeve and affixing the tri-panel binder clip sleeve to the binder clip. The binder clip sleeve may be sized for a friction fit with the binder clip and may be affixed to the binder clip by sliding the binder clip sleeve over the binder clip. The binder clip sleeve may also be affixed to the binder clip by means of adhesive. In a further step, a light-transmissive sleeve element may be placed over the binder clip sleeve.
Further details regarding the invention are set forth in the drawings and detailed descriptions which follow.
The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments which include the above-noted characteristics and features of the invention. In the drawings:
The binder clip sleeve and the method of use of such binder clip sleeve will now be described in conjunction with binder clip sleeve embodiments 10, 10′ and 10″. Each of binder clip sleeves 10, 10′ and 10″ are provided to secure a wide range of indicia 13 to a binder clip, such as binder clip 11. As will be apparent, the binder clip sleeves 10, 10′ and 10″ share components and features which are the same or similar. For purposes of brevity and simplicity, like reference numbers will be used to describe and identify such components and features.
An exemplary binder clip 11 will first be described in connection with
Handles 35 and 37 are provided to enable a user to spread apart the jaw portion ends 31, 33 and jaw portions 17, 19 so that the binder clip 11 can be positioned to grip one or more papers or articles (not shown) between jaw portions 17, 19 as is well known in the art. Each handle 35, 37 is secured to a respective jaw portion 17, 19 by engagement of two handle end portions, two of which 39, 41 are indicated in
The binder clip 11 described and shown in connection with
Panel 47, corresponding the binder clip spine 15, and panel 49, corresponding to one jaw portion 17 are separated by transition portion 59 while panel 47 and panel 51, corresponding to a jaw portion 17 or 19 are separated by transition portion 61′ (
In the binder clip sleeve 10 embodiment shown in
In the binder clip sleeve 10 embodiment shown in
An adhesive (not shown) may be optionally be provided on one or more of inwardly-facing surfaces 67, 69, 71 to hold sleeve 10 in engagement with binder clip 11. If provided, such adhesive would have the general appearance of adhesive 73 shown in
Indicia 13 may be applied directly to one or more of panels 47, 49 and 51, such as by printing, silk screening, painting, embossing, impressing, forming or any other suitable means. Indicia 13 could be secured to panels 47, 49 and 51 by adhesive or other suitable securement means, such as by heat transfer. The indicia 13 could comprise any suitable type of matter, including without limitation, text, human or machine-readable code, images or design elements.
Referring further to
Binder clip sleeve 10 may be made of any suitable material. For binder clip sleeves 10 configured to be held in place against the binder clip, such sleeves 10 should be sufficiently rigid to remain in place against the binder clip 11. The binder clip sleeve 10 of such embodiment is preferably made of a self-supporting material and generally has the form of an isosceles triangle in a section along section line 3-3 as shown, particularly in
Plastic is a desirable material for use in making binder clip sleeve 10 because plastic is a low-cost material and typically readily accepts indicia 13 by conventional means, such as by printing. The plastic material used to make binder clip sleeve 10 is preferably extruded to essentially correspond to the shape of the binder clip 11 in the closed position shown in
Other suitable materials for use in making binder clip sleeve 10 are Type C260 brass shim stock, half hard, cold rolled and Type 5052-H32 aluminum shim stock. Such metal-based materials preferably have a thickness in the range of from about 0.005 inch to about 0.008 inch.
A further binder clip sleeve embodiment 10′ will now be described in connection with
An adhesive 73 is located on at least portions of the inwardly-facing surfaces 69, 71 of panels 49, 51 (
As is well shown in
The panels 47-51 of binder clip sleeve 10′ of
As shown in
Yet another binder clip sleeve according to the invention is shown in
As with embodiments 10 and 10′, binder clip sleeve 10″ substrate sleeve element 89 is provided to display indicia 13 along one or all of first, second and third panels 47, 49 and 51. The panels 47, 49 and 51 are configured and arranged to correspond generally to the spine 15, and jaw portions 17, 19 of binder clip 11. Each of panels 47, 49 and 51 has a corresponding outwardly-facing surface 53, 55 and 57 on which indicia 13 may be located. Inwardly-facing surfaces 67, 69 and 71 face respective panels 15, 17 and 19 of the binder clip 11. A transition portion 59 is provided between panels 47, 49 and a further transition portion 61 is provided between panels 47, 51 to facilitate conformation of the substrate sleeve element 89 with the binder clip 11.
The panels 47-51 of binder clip sleeve 10′ substrate sleeve element 89 are further defined by length and width dimensions (not shown), such as the length 63 and width 65 shown defining panel 47 in
Light-transmissive sleeve element 91 is provided to fit over substrate sleeve element 89. Light-transmissive sleeve element 91 includes panels 47′, 49′ and 51′ which correspond with substrate sleeve element 89 panels 47, 49 and 51 and are preferably configured and arranged to correspond to binder clip spine 15 and jaw portions 17, 19. Light-transmissive sleeve element 91 is made of a self-supporting material which is held in place against the binder clip 11 by frictional engagement of some or all of the inwardly-facing surfaces 67′, 69′ and 71′ with the corresponding spine 15 and jaw portions 17, 19. Such engagement may hold substrate sleeve element 89 in place against binder clip 11. Preferably, the friction fit between light-transmissive sleeve element 91 and binder clip 11 is such that the element 91 may be slid over the binder clip 11 while not sliding off of the binder clip 11 in actual use. Such an arrangement permits a user to place the substrate 89 against the binder clip 11 and to grasp the light-transmissive sleeve element 91 with his fingers and to manually slide such element 91 onto the binder clip 11. As a result, the substrate 89 is clamped between the binder clip 11 and light-transmissive sleeve element 91.
Substrate sleeve element 89 is preferably made of a foldable material that may be conformed to the shape of the binder clip 11. Representative materials include paper, mylar, poyethylene film and the like. Indicia 13 may be located on one or all of first, second and third panels 47, 49 and 51. Adhesive (not shown) may optionally be used on some or all of surfaces 67-71 against binder clip 11. Light-transmissive sleeve element 91 is preferably made of a material such as LEXAN® brand plastic sheet available from the General Electric Company. Plastic sheet with a thickness of about 0.1 inch to about 0.3 inch has been found to be satisfactory, although other thicknesses may be utilized. Light-transmissive sleeve element 91 need not be made of a transparent material and can be of any light-transmissive material provided that indicia 13 disposed under the element 91 can be observed by a user.
It will be readily understood that the binder clip sleeves 10, 10′ and 10″ need not be limited to the specific tri-panel configuration shown in
The indicia 13 selected for application to, within or beneath one or more of panel surfaces 53, 55 and 57 of binder clip sleeves 10, 10′ and 10″ may comprise virtually any type of text or graphic matter. For binder clip sleeves 10, 10′ and 10″ adapted to be productivity-enhancement devices, indicia 13 could comprise text elements describing the type of materials held by the binder clip 11 or indicia 13 could simply comprise a color or color combination provided to differentiate the materials held by the binder clip from other materials. Such indicia 13 would serve much like a file folder permitting the clipped-together documents to be identified easily and rapidly and efficiently retrieved. Indicia 13 could comprise an advertisement consisting of, for example, the name, address and telephone number of a business. Indicia 13 could comprise raised braille elements or any suitable form of design, artwork, photograph or the like.
While the principles of this invention have been described in connection with specific embodiments, it should be understood clearly that these descriptions are made only by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
