BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a loose-leaf folder, and in particular to a loose-leaf folder device with separation and recombination function.
2. Relevant Background
In the age of science and technology, the approaches of recording and saving material have the tendency of electronic. Although electronic material is environmental protection and is easy to be stored and shared, when a user wants to review and compare different pages of a file on an electronic device simultaneously, or compare files respectively, the user usually is limited by the screen size and the system operation of the electronic device. In addition, reviewing contents on an electronic device for a long time is easy to cause discomfort of readers' eyes. Therefore, a lot of people still choose traditional folders to save documents.
Traditional folders have many models, and for the popular ring loose-leaf folder, a retaining ring device is arranged in the middle position, so loose-leaf paper can be inserted into or drawn out when the retaining ring device is open, and when the retaining ring device is closed, loose-leaf paper and the page order can be fixed in the folder. Although this characteristic can make a user organize and store material, from the reviewing and comparing material's perspective, traditional folders' defects cannot be ignored, that is, it is difficult to review and compare material on different loose-leaf pages in a folder simultaneously.
Specifically, if a user wishes to compare different loose-leaf pages when the traditional folder is closed, for example, about the material on pages 3 and 19, the user usually needs to flip back and forth, but couldn't review discontinuous pages at the same time. Therefore, one approach is opening the retaining ring device of the loose-leaf folder, drawing one page, closing the retaining ring device, turning to another corresponding page then comparing. Such approach commonly requires the user to notice the position of the drawn loose-leaf page in advance, so as to avoid going out of the order of the loose-leaf folder when inserting back the loose-leaf page after comparing.
Another common comparison method is drawing part pages out from the loose-leaf folder entirely, reviewing individually and inserting the loose-leaf pages back to the loose-leaf folder entirely. However, such method requires the user to keep the order of the whole stack of loose-leaf pages after drawing out the whole stack of loose-leaf pages. In addition, if the whole stack of loose-leaf pages has some thickness, the socket of individual loose-leaf page easily becomes irregular after overlapping the whole stack of loose-leaf pages. The page's socket has a chance to be torn by the inserting retaining ring device.
SUMMARY
The objective of the present invention is to provide a loose-leaf folder device with separation and recombination function so as to review and compare different loose-leaf paper pages at the same time.
The objective of the present invention is realized as follow. A loose-leaf folder device is applied. The loose-leaf folder device includes a pair of main components (A). Each main component (A) comprises a housing (1), and one or more first half retaining rings (2) are arranged thereon. Two main components (A) can be combined with or separated from each other. When two main components (A) are combined with each other, each first half retaining ring (2) of one main component (A) can be combined with a corresponding first half retaining ring (2) of the other main component (A) to form a closed retaining ring, so that loose-leaf paper (B), which is retained by the first half retaining ring (2) located at one main component (A), can be moved along the closed retaining ring to the other main component (A); and when two main components (A) are separated from each other, the main component (A) along with loose-leaf paper (B) retained by it can be separated from the other main component (A) to form two independent parts.
To better achieve the objective of the present invention, second half retaining rings (3) and storage spaces (5), which respectively have the same number as the first half retaining rings (2), are arranged on the side combined with the other main component of the housing (1). Each second half retaining ring (3) and one storage space (5) are corresponding to one first half retaining ring (2). The second half retaining rings (3) and the storage spaces (5) are located at two sides of the first half retaining rings (2). When a main component (A) is not combined with other main component (A) but is in independent state, the second half retaining rings (3) can rotate on the housing (1) to form a first state and a second state with the corresponding first half retaining rings (2). Under the first state, the second half retaining ring (3) is combined with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2) to form a closed retaining ring to retain loose-leaf paper (B); under the second state, the second half retaining ring (3) is staggered with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2) to form an open retaining ring, so that loose-leaf paper (B) can be drawn out from and put into the main component (A) from the opening. When two main components (A) are combined with each other, the second half retaining rings (3) on the two main components (A) are under the second state, and the storage spaces (5) receive the protruded portions of the corresponding second half retaining rings (3) on the other main component (A).
To achieve the objective of the present invention, another loose-leaf folder device can also be applied. The loose-leaf folder device comprises a main component (A). The main component (A) comprises a housing (1), and one or more first half retaining rings (2) are arranged thereon. Second half retaining rings (3) and storage spaces (5) are arranged, which respectively have the same number as the first half retaining rings (2). Each second half retaining ring (3) is corresponding to one first half retaining ring (2) and one storage space (5); the second half retaining rings (3) can rotate on the housing (1) to form a first state and a second state with the first half retaining rings (2). Under the first state, the second half retaining ring (3) is combined with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2) to form a closed retaining ring to retain loose-leaf paper (B); under the second state, the second half retaining ring (3) is staggered with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2) to form an open retaining ring, so that loose-leaf paper (B) can be drawn out from and put into the main component (A) from the openings.
Besides, the main components (A) are used in pairs. When all second half retaining rings (3) of two main components (A) are under the second state, the two main components (A) can be combined with each other. When two main components (A) are combined with each other, the storage spaces (5) receive the protruded portion of the corresponding second half retaining rings (3) on the other main component (A). The two main components (A) can be combined with each other only through the storage spaces (5). Each first half retaining ring (2) on one main component (A) can be combined with the opposite first half retaining ring (2) on the other main component (A) to form a closed retaining ring, so that the loose-leaf paper (B), which is retained by the first half retaining ring (2) located at one main component (A), can be moved along the closed retaining ring to the other main component (A).
The loose-leaf folder device disclosed in this invention has separation and recombination function, i.e., two main components (A) can be combined with and separated from each other. When two main components (A) are combined together, a device is formed, which is similar to a common loose-leaf folder device. The sockets of loose-leaf paper (B) are retained by the first half retaining rings (2) of main components (A) and loose-leaf paper (B) on this device is turned over. When two main components (A) are separated from each other, two independent parts are formed and loose-leaf paper (B) on this device is separated into two parts. Then rotating the second half retaining ring (3) on a main components (A) to form a closed retaining ring with the first half retaining ring (2) to retain loose-leaf paper (B) on the main components (A). Loose-leaf paper (B) on each main component (A) can be turned over independently, which makes users conveniently review and compare different loose-leaf paper (B) pages of two main components (A) at the same time.
As such, the objective of the present invention can be achieved very well.
The loose-leaf folder device provided in this invention has simple and novel structure. Through its separation and recombination function, when a user needs to review and compare different loose-leaf paper pages at the same time, the user needs not to draw out loose-leaf paper from the loose-leaf folder and insert loose-leaf paper into the loose-leaf folder. The user can separate the loose-leaf folder device into two independent folders, which make the user conveniently review and compare different loose-leaf paper (B) pages at the same time. After reviewing and comparing, the two independent parts can be recombined with each other to be a whole loose-leaf folder device. As such, the order of the loose-leaf paper is maintained, so as to avoid tearing sockets of loose-leaf paper when inserting loose-leaf paper back into the loose-leaf folder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a visual schematic diagram of a loose-leaf folder device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a visual schematic diagram of two main components (A) of the loose-leaf folder device separated from each other according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a visual schematic diagram of second half retaining rings (3) of the loose-leaf folder device being combined with the corresponding first half retaining rings (2) to form closed retaining rings according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a visual schematic diagram of the loose-leaf folder device retaining loose-leaf paper (B) according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a visual schematic diagram of a loose-leaf folder device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a visual schematic diagram of a loose-leaf folder device using magnet (6) to keep combination of main components (A) according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a visual schematic diagram of a loose-leaf folder device using a splicing locking device (7) to keep combination of main components (A) according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a visual schematic diagram of a loose-leaf folder device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
In the drawings, the same numeral represents the same device or the same part device. The drawings are illustrative for explaining the structures and main features of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The method of the present invention will be described in detail as follows in combination with accompany drawings.
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, FIG. 1 is a visual schematic diagram of a loose-leaf folder device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a visual schematic diagram of two main components (A) of the loose-leaf folder device separated from each other according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a visual schematic diagram of a second half retaining ring (3) of the loose-leaf folder device being combined with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2) to form a closed retaining ring according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The loose-leaf folder device illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 comprises a pair of main components (A). Each main component (A) comprises a housing (1), and one or more first half retaining rings (2) are arranged thereon. Two main components (A) can be combined with each other or separated from each other. When two main components (A) are combined with each other, each first half retaining ring (2) of one main component (A) can be combined with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2) of the other main component (A) to form a closed retaining ring, so that loose-leaf paper (B), which is retained by the first half retaining ring (2) located at one main component (A), can be moved along the closed retaining ring to the other main component (A); and when two main components (A) are separated from each other, the main component (A) along with the loose-leaf paper (B) retained by itself can be separated from the other main component (A) to form two independent parts.
Still referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, on the side (referred to as “combination side”) of the housing (1) of the main component (A) of the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 combined with the other main component, a second half retaining ring (3) is arranged, which number is the same number as that of the first half retaining ring (2). The arranged position of each second half retaining ring (3) is corresponding to a first half retaining ring (2). The external shape of a second half retaining ring (3) is substantively a semicircle ring, wherein one end is connected to the combination side and the other end is a free end, which can rotate around the connected end. When a main component (A) is not combined with the other main component (A) but in an independent state, the second half retaining ring (3) can rotate on the housing (1) and forms a first and a second states with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2). As illustrated in the dotted circle on the upper right of FIG. 2, the second half retaining ring (3) can rotate to a horizontal state, which is at right angles to the first half retaining ring (2), i.e., the second state; the second half retaining ring (3) can rotate along the arrow direction in FIG. 2 to combine with the first half retaining ring (2) to form a closed state, i.e., the first state, i.e., the state shown in FIG. 3. Under the first state, the second half retaining ring (3) is combined with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2) to form a closed retaining ring to retain loose-leaf paper (B); under the second state, the second half retaining ring (3) is staggered with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2) to form an open retaining ring, so that loose-leaf paper (B) can be drawn out from and put into the main component (A) from the opening. In addition, when the second half retaining ring (3) rotates on the housing (1), it can rotates from the position corresponding to “the first state” to the position corresponding to “the second state,” or from the position corresponding to “the second state” to the position corresponding to “the first state.” The second half retaining ring (3) should keep in the position corresponding to “the first state” or the position corresponding to “the second state” but should not stay at the position between “the first state” and “the second state.” This requires the housing (1) to be added some limit mechanical structures to limit the rotation angle of the second half retaining ring (3), for example, adding mechanical structures such as spring, steel sheet, etc. The second half retaining ring (3) between the positions of “the first state” and “the second state” is pushed to the position of “the first state” or the position of “the second state,” preventing it from staying at the position between “the first state” and “the second state.” These limit mechanical structures can be implemented by similar mechanical structures in the retaining ring opening and closing structure of existing common loose-leaf folder. Since this is conventional art and not main concept of the present invention, detail description about this is omitted in the specification and drawings.
Still referring to FIGS. 1-3, recesses (4), which number is the same as that of the first half retaining rings (2), are arranged on the combination side of the housing (1) shown in the first embodiment of FIGS. 1-3. When the second half retaining rings (3) are in the second state, the recesses (4) opposite to the second half retaining rings (3) are used to receive the top portions of the second half retaining rings (3), so that the second half retaining rings (3) can rotate to the position with a 90 degree angle to the corresponding first half retaining rings (2), and the second half retaining rings (3) will not protrude to influence loose-leaf paper (B) on the main component (A). It should be noted that opposite recesses (4) in a pair of main components (A) should be notched at different sides of corresponding first half retaining rings (2). As illustrated in FIG. 3, recesses (4) of the left main component (A) are notched at the downside of the first half retaining rings (2), and recesses (4) of the right main component (A) is notched at the upside of the first half retaining rings (2). Furthermore, storage spaces (5), which number is the same number as that of the first half retaining rings (2), are arranged on the combination side of the housing (1). The storage spaces (5) are located at one side of the second half retaining rings (3), which is different from the side of recesses (4). That is, storage spaces (5) and recesses (4), which are corresponding to the first half retaining rings (2) respectively, are located at opposite sides of the first half retaining rings (2). When the two main components (A) combined with each other, the first half retaining rings (2) and the second half retaining rings (3) must be in the second state. The storage spaces (5) are used to receive the protruded portions of the corresponding second half retaining rings (3) on the other main component (A). The two main components (A) can be combined with each other through the storage spaces (5).
In this invention, the number of the first half retaining rings (2) on the main component (A) can be any number of one or more than one. For example, each main component (A) only has one first half retaining ring (2); for another example, each main component (A) has two, three, four, five, or six first half retaining rings (2). The number of first half retaining ring (2) can be determined by the socket number of the loose-leaf paper (B). No matter how many first half retaining rings (2) are applied, the objective of the present invention can be realized very well, which is within the scope of this disclosure.
The further improvement in this invention is that a linkage mechanism is arranged in the chamber of the housing (1). All second half retaining rings (3) of the same housing (1) are connected by the linkage mechanism, so all the second half retaining rings (3) rotate synchronously, and the linkage mechanism can be achieved by existing mechanical technologies, such as wheel gears, connecting rods, etc.
Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a visual schematic diagram of the loose-leaf folder device retaining loose-leaf paper (B) according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows that, if two main components (A) in the first embodiment are separated from each other to form two independent parts, the loose-leaf paper (B) is separated to two parts. The loose-leaf paper (B) can be drawn out from or inserted into each part. Furthermore, the second half retaining ring (3) can rotate to combine with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2) to form a closed retaining ring to retain the loose-leaf paper (B). As such, two independent loose-leaf folder devices are formed and users can simultaneously review and compare different pages of loose-leaf paper (B) of two main components (A).
Referring to FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is a visual schematic diagram of a loose-leaf folder device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Comparing the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5 with the first embodiment, the difference is that the first embodiment is described with a pair of main components (A) as a set of devices, but the second embodiment is described with a single main component (A). Any main component (A) in the first embodiment has substantively the same structure as that of the main component (A) in the second embodiment. Still referring to FIG. 5, the loose-leaf folder device shown in FIG. 5 only comprises one main component (A). The main component (A) comprise a housing (1), and one or more first half retaining rings (2) are arranged thereon. The second half retaining rings (3) and the storage spaces (5), which respectively have the same number as the first half retaining rings (2), are arranged on the side opposite to the openings of the first half retaining rings (2). Each second half retaining ring (3) is corresponding to one first half retaining ring (2) and one storage space (5). The second half retaining ring (3) can rotate on the housing (1) to form a first state and a second state with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2). Under the first state, the second half retaining ring (3) is combined with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2) to form a closed retaining ring to retain loose-leaf paper (B); under the second state, the second half retaining ring (3) is staggered with the corresponding first half retaining ring (2) to form an open retaining ring, so that loose-leaf paper (B) can be drawn out from and put into the main component (A) from the opening. The main components (A) in FIG. 5 perhaps are used in pairs. When all second half retaining rings (3) of two main components (A) are under the second state, the two main components (A) can be combined with each other. When two main components (A) are combined with each other, the storage space (5) receives the protruded portion of the corresponding second half retaining ring (3) on the other main component (A). The two main components (A) can be combined with each other only through the storage spaces (5). Each first half retaining ring (2) on one main component (A) can be combined with the opposite first half retaining ring (2) on the other main component (A) to form a closed retaining ring, so that the loose-leaf paper (B), which is retained by the first half retaining ring (2) located at one main component (A), can be moved along the closed retaining ring to the other main component (A). In addition, recesses (4), which number is the same as that of the first half retaining ring (2), are arranged on the housing (1) of the main component (A) in the second embodiment. The recess (4) is the same as the recess (4) described in the aforementioned first embodiment and need not be repeated here.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, FIG. 6 is a visual schematic diagram of a loose-leaf folder device using a magnet (6) to keep combination of main components (A) according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a visual schematic diagram of a loose-leaf folder device using a splicing locking device (7) to keep combination of main components (A) according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The third and the fourth embodiments in FIGS. 6 and 7 respectively show different examples about how to keep main components (A) in combination state when the loose-leaf folder device is in combination state. The technical measures taken in this invention belong to existing technologies, and these existing technologies are not main concept of the present invention. That is, they are not essential technical features of the present invention. Therefore, these contents are omitted in the aforementioned first and second embodiments shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5. In addition, other existing technologies can also be applied to realize keeping two main components (A) in combination state. No matter what way is applied, e.g., the way of the third embodiment or the fourth embodiment or other ways, these ways can achieve keeping two main components (A) in combination state very well.
Still refereeing to FIG. 6, in the third embodiment shown FIG. 6, a magnet (6) is arranged on the housing (1). When two main components (A) are combined with each other, two main components (A) maintain in combination state by magnetic attraction generated by the magnet (6). As illustrated in FIG. 6, each main component (A) has two magnets (6), which are located on the side used to be combined with the other main component (A). The two magnets (6) are arranged with different poles, for example, the south pole of the left magnet (6) points outwards, while the north pole of the right magnet (6) points outwards. As such, when two main components (A) are combined with each other, the two main components (A) can maintain in combination state by magnetic attraction generated by magnets (6).
Continued to referring to FIG. 7, in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the housing (1) has a splicing locking device (7). When two main components (A) are combined with each other, the splicing locking device (7) makes the two main components (A) maintain in combination state. The splicing locking device (7) comprises a locating pin (701), a locating hole (702), a lockpin device (703), wherein the locating pin (701) on a main component (A) is plugged into the locating hole (702) of the other main component (A), and the lockpin device (703) can tighten or loosen the locating pin (701) of the other main component (A) in the locating hole (702). As such, two main components (A) can maintain a combination state or a separation state.
Referring to FIG. 8, FIG. 8 is a visual schematic diagram of a loose-leaf folder device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. The fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is a further improvement to this invention. When a pair of main components (A) are combined with each other, the first half retaining ring (2) on the housing (1) can open and close toward two sides to form an open retaining ring or a closed retaining ring, so that loose-leaf paper (B) can be drawn out when the loose-leaf folder device of the present invention is in combination state. As illustrated in the dotted circle in the upper right of FIG. 8, each first half retaining ring (2) on a main component (A) can rotate to open and close, to form a open retaining ring or a closed retaining ring with a corresponding first half retaining ring (2) on the other main component (A). Loose-leaf paper (B) can be retained when all corresponding first half retaining rings (2) of the two main components (A) form closed retaining rings, and loose-leaf paper (B) can be drawn from the loose-leaf folder device when all opposite first half retaining rings (2) of the two main components (A) form open retaining rings. In addition, the mechanism, which is used by the first half retaining rings (2) to open and close, also needs structures similar to the above limit mechanical structures of the second half retaining rings (3). Mechanical structures, such as spring, steel sheet, etc., are used to limit the first half retaining rings (2) to one position of “open” or “closed.” This is similar to the mechanical structures of the retaining ring opening and closing mechanism in existing common loose-leaf folder. Since they belong to existing technologies and are not main concept of the present invention, detail descriptions are omitted in the specification and drawings.
According to the loose-leaf folder device with separation and recombination function provided in this disclosure, users can separate the loose-leaf folder into two independent folders to review and compare contents of different loose-leaf paper (B), and users thus can experience unprecedented flexibility and convenience.
The loose-leaf folder device with separation and recombination function of the present invention has been described above in detail. Although illustrated by the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to this. Within the sprit of the present application and the scope of appended claims, various changes and alternative can be applied to this application.
Patent Application
20150336417
