Patent Application
20080069629
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be further appreciated, as they become better understood by reference to the following Detailed Description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings:
a shows an embodiment of a folder cover unit and a base plate member with rings and associated attachment means;
b shows an embodiment of the folder cover unit additionally comprising a divider panel;
a shows a metal fixture comprising a track for slidably inserting a base plate member therein;
b shows another embodiment of a folder cover unit and a base plate member with rings and associated attachment means;
c shows yet another embodiment of a folder cover unit and a base plate member with rings and associated attachment means;
Referring to
The folder cover unit 100 has a front panel portion 105, a back panel portion 110, and a spine portion 115 for hinging together adjacent longitudinal edge sections of the front and back panel portions 105, 110. The front and back panel portions 105, 110 are adapted to receive documents therebetween such that one edge of the documents extend toward the spine portion 115.
Conventional ring binders or folders comprise a base plate member that is permanently fastened or attached onto the spine portion, inside the folder unit by means of rivets, bolts or any other suitable fastening means known to persons of ordinary skill in the art. Fixedly mounted on the base plate member is a ring assembly that comprises a plurality of ring portions that are separable and terminate within a metal housing that encloses appropriate spring means for resiliently retaining the split rings in either a closed or open state. This structure is conventional and is therefore not illustrated. Tabs are provided to assist in opening or closing the rings and locking them in a closed position as is common with such loose-leaf ring binders.
Another embodiment of the folder unit 100 additionally comprises of a divider panel 146 as shown in
Referring back to
In one embodiment, the attachment means comprises metal snaps 135. As shown in
Optionally, base member 130 can comprise multiple snaps, such as 3, 4, 5, 6, or more, which are tightly, but removably, engaged with an equal number of snap receivers, such as 3, 4, 5, 6, or more. Further, optionally, the base member 130 can include suitable spring and lever assemblies to secure the engagement of the snaps 135 into the snap receivers 145. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the snap receivers 145 are complementary to, and capable of tightly engaging with, the snaps 135.
In another embodiment, the spine portion 115 comprises a metal fixture having a track within which base plate member can be slidably inserted.
Referring to
In this embodiment, the attachment means comprises levers 245b that can latch onto the base member 230b at the end of the base member 239b or along the sides of the base member 238b. When the base member 230b is required to be mounted on the spine portion 215b, a user could place the base member on the spine portion and engage the levels 245b with base member end 239b or sides 238b such that they are tightly, but removably, bound to the spine portion 215b.
Referring to
In this embodiment, the attachment means comprise a first Velcro strip 235c fixedly attached to the bottom of the base plate 230c and a matching second Velcro strip 245c fixedly attached to the exposed spine portion 215c of a folder. To attach the base plate 230c to the spine portion 215c, the first Velcro strip 235c is aligned with the second Velcro strip 245c and pressed together, thereby creating a bond. Preferably, the bond is secured with additional attachment mechanisms, such as latches, snaps, or clips, to provide added support to the bond.
Referring to
While the illustrated embodiments above include three rings, as few as one ring and up to four or more can be used. In another embodiment the binder can be used without a folder cover unit 100. For instance, after records cease to be current, they can be transferred from a binder including a folder cover unit 100 to one including only one or more rings and a base plate member 130 for permanent storage. This partial assembly can be placed in a thin, inexpensive box-like cover to store the records on shelves.
Also it is an intention of the inventors that the ring binder of the present invention be used to store a variety of items other than papers. Thus, according to one embodiment, the invention provides a plurality of flexible, plastic, two-sided, pages 300 for storing a plurality of compact discs within a plurality of one-disc pockets that are contained on the two sides of the page 300, as shown in
The ring binder of the present invention can be advantageously transported and even retailed in a knocked-down or unassembled condition and assembled at the point of use. For example, referring back to
Because the ring binding mechanism can be transported in the unassembled condition and assembled at the point of use, it is possible to market and manufacture more cost effectively. Individual components can be manufactured in different countries and shipped to worldwide distribution centers.
It is also an intention of the inventors to enable users to derive enhanced utilities, such as recreational and/or educational, from the folder/binder. According to one embodiment of the invention, this is achieved by providing a magnetizable folder along with collateral magnetic products that together offer a plurality of recreational and/or educational use.
According to one embodiment the exposed surface 525 of sheet 520 is provided with a printed representation of a game such as chess, checkers, shoots and ladders, poem game with various words as pieces to be manipulated, backgammon, word scramble and/or of an educational utility such as periodic tables, general mathematics equations, logarithmic tables or any other recreational or educational reference evident to persons of ordinary skill in the art. It should be appreciated that the sheet can comprise two exposed surfaces, a bottom and a top, each with a different printed representation.
Collateral magnetic pieces are also provided that users can use with the game and/or educational reference printed on the surface 525. Thus, for example if the surface 525 has checkers printed thereon, as shown in
According to one embodiment the collateral magnetic pieces are made of sheet permanent magnet material. As known to persons of ordinary skill in the art, sheet permanent magnet material is made by mixing powdered high-permeability ferrite material into a uniform mixture with a suitable settable plastic vehicle. The mixture is converted into strip or sheet form, and the plastic vehicle is set to provide a permanent stable product that usually is somewhat flexible, and that can readily be handled and made into elements of any desired shape by cutting and/or stamping. The ferrite material is permanently magnetized so that the resulting elements can act individually as permanent magnets, the magnetic field being of sufficient strength that they will adhere to a magnetizable metal surface, such as the surface of an iron or steel sheet, even through a sheet of paper or thin cardboard.
According to another embodiment of the invention, separate sheets of magnet material are provided that in turn have a layer of printed game or educational reference thereon. The magnetic sheets (with, for example, a checkers board or chess board design printed thereon) are placed on the folder, with the underlying magnetized metal sheet, such that the sheets firmly attach due to the magnetism and users can use associated magnetic pieces to use the recreational or educational reference printed on the magnetic sheets. The magnetic sheets can be made of any suitable material, including plastic or metal. It should also be appreciated that the folder's magnetized metal sheet can be on any surface of the front cover, the back cover, or a divider panel.
It should be evident to persons of ordinary skill in the art that while in the aforementioned embodiments the entire folder has the same layered structure this can vary in other embodiments. For example, in alternate embodiments the metal sheet layer is present in any or all of the front, back or spine portions. Similarly, in the divider panel embodiment of
According to another embodiment, the metal sheet can be replaced with a layer of paint that includes magnetizable particles or metal flakes. Such metal paints are commercially available and known to persons of ordinary skill in the art.
It is an intention of the inventors to have multiple printed plastic game sheets, magnetic game pieces, collateral magnetized stationary products, and educational references that can be advantageously used in conjunction with the metal sheet or magnetizable paint layers.
