BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the clip binder of the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the clip binder in a first position.
FIG. 3 illustrates the side view of the clip binder in a second position.
FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the clip binder in the first position.
FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of the clip binder for the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of the clip binder for a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of the clip binder for a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the first clip binder with a back cover;
FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of the second clip binder with the back cover;
FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of the third clip binder with the back cover;
FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of the clip binder with the back cover;
FIG. 12 illustrates a top view of the back cover of a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13 illustrates a top view of the back cover of the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 14 illustrates a top view of the back cover of the third embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 15-18 illustrate a top view of a removable cover of the present invention;
FIG. 19 illustrates a side view of the a portion of the removable cover of the present invention in a first position;
FIG. 20 illustrates a side view of the a portion of the removable cover of the present invention in a second position;
FIG. 21 illustrates a side view of the portion of the removable cover of the present invention in a third position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 illustrates the clip binder 100 of the present invention. The clip binder 100 includes a flexible housing 104 which is shown as a substantially D shape and may be formed from an elongate flexible sheet of plastic or other suitable material. A clip binder 100 includes an upwardly extending rod 102 to cooperate with holes formed in sheets (not shown) to hold the sheets in position. Furthermore, the upwardly extending rod 102 cooperates with the flexible housing 104 to prevent the sheets of the user from coming off the upwardly extending rod 102. The upwardly extending rod 102 may be rigid and could be formed from metal, plastic or any suitable material.
The upwardly extending rod 102 could have a rectangular, triangular or any other suitable cross section and may have an inwardly sloping end to facilitate the cooperation with the flexible housing 104 and the sheets of the user. The flexible housing 102 includes an aperture 112 to accept the upwardly extending rod 102.
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-section of the flexible housing 104 and the upwardly extending rod 106. As shown in FIG. 2, the flexible housing 104 includes a top section 130, an opposed bottom section 132, and a side section 134. The side section 134 includes a first curve section 120 which is connected to a first sloping section 126 which is connected to a second curve section 122. The second curve section 122 is connected to a second sloping section 128 which is connected to a third curve section 124 which is connected to the bottom section 132. The first curve section 120 is connected to the top section 130. The opposing side of the flexible housing 104 is open to accept sheets of the user. The bottom section 132 has the upwardly extending rod 106 mounted near the open side of the flexible housing 104, and the upwardly extending rod 106 is substantially perpendicular to the interior surface of the bottom section 132. The first curve section 120, the second curve section 122 and the third curve section 124 contribute to the flexibility of the flexible housing 104. The aperture 112 may be reinforced with a metal lining along the interior surface in order to maintain the diameter of the aperture 112. The upwardly extending rod 106 includes an upper narrowed section 108 and a lower narrowed section 110 to cooperate with the aperture 112, and each of the upper narrowed section 108 and the lower narrowed section 110 is of reduced diameter which corresponds approximately to the diameter of the aperture 112. Consequently, the top section 130 will remain detachable fixed to the upwardly extending rod 106. The top section 130 may be positioned at the upper narrowed section 108 in a first position to give the clip binder 100 a larger capacity to hold the sheets of the user. The top section 130 can be removed from the upwardly extending rod 106 so that the sheets of the user can be removed, or the top section 130 can be moved along the upwardly extending rod 106 until the aperture 112 is positioned at the second narrowed section 110 at a second position. At the second position, the clip binder 100 may have less capacity for sheets of the user.
FIG. 3 illustrates the top section 130 positioned at the second narrowed section 110. By positioning the top section 130 at the second narrowed section 110, the clip binder 100 may be able to hold a reduced number of sheets, but the top section 130 can be more securely held onto the upwardly extending rod 106 because if the top section numeral 130 should slip off the upwardly extending rod 130 at the second narrowed section 110, the top section 130 should be held at the first narrowed section 108. Consequently, the top section 130 is a less likely to become unintentionally detached from the upwardly extending rod 106.
FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the clip binder with the shorter upwardly extending rod 106.
FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of the clip binder 500 showing two upwardly extending rods 106 positioned in two apertures 112 to bind the sheets of the user along the top of the sheets.
FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of the clip binder 600 showing three of upwardly extending rods 106 positioned in the three apertures 112 to bind the sheets of the user along the side of the sheets. The clip binder 600 may be appropriate for letter size sheets.
FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of the clip binder 700 showing four upwardly extending rods 106 positioned in four apertures 112 to bind the sheets of the user along the side of the sheets. The additional aperture and upwardly extending rod may be appropriate for legal size sheets.
FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the clip binder 800 with an integral back cover 140. The bottom section 132 is shown as being formed integral with the back cover 104. The back cover 104 serves to protect the sheets of the user and provide a smooth writing surface for the sheets of the user.
FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of the clip binder 900 with the integral back cover 140. FIG. 9 shows a longer upwardly extending rod 106 so that additional sheets of the user can be held.
FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of the clip binder 1000 with the top section 130 that has been detached from the upwardly extending rod 106.
FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of the clip binder 1100. The clip binder 1100 includes a top section 130, upwardly extending rod 106 and a back cover 140.
FIG. 12 illustrates a top view of the clip binder 1200. The top section 1230 of the clip binder 1200 includes a reduced width edge in the transverse direction that does not extend to the edge of the bottom section 1232. The clip binder 1200 could be extended for legal size sheets or could be used for letter size sheets.
FIG. 13 illustrates a top view of the clip binder 1300 which extends along the side of the letter size sheets and illustrates three apertures 112.
FIG. 14 illustrates a top view of the clip binder 1400 which extends along the side of legal size sheets and illustrates four apertures 112.
FIGS. 15-18 illustrates removable covers 150 which can cooperate with the clip binders shown in FIGS. 1-14. The removable cover 150 includes a cover aperture 152 which cooperates with the upwardly extending rod 106, and the removable cover 150 is placed under the top section 130 to be secured. FIG. 15 illustrates three cover apertures 152 along the side to cooperate with the clip binder 1300 as shown in FIG. 13.
FIG. 16 illustrates a removable cover 150 having two cover apertures 152 along the top of the removable cover 150 to be used in cooperation with the clip binder 1200 illustrated in FIG. 12.
FIG. 17 illustrates a removable cover 150 having four apertures 152 along the side of the removable cover 150 to be used with legal size paper and cooperates with the clip binder 1400 is illustrated in FIG. 14.
FIG. 18 illustrates a removable cover 150 having two apertures 152 along the top of the removable cover 150 to be used with legal size paper and cooperates with the clip binder 1200 as illustrated in FIG. 12.
FIG. 19 illustrates a portion of the removable cover 150 and includes a reduced thickness portion 154 to allow a portion of the removable cover 150 to pivot so that the user can access the sheets that are being held by the clip binder.
FIG. 20 illustrates a portion of the removable cover 150 being partially pivoted as the user obtains access to the sheets.
FIG. 21 illustrates that the portion of the removable cover 150 has been pivoted approximately 90°.
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.
Patent Application
20080092343
