Patent Application
20080298883
This invention relates to fastening systems for joining a ring mechanism to a cover or other substrate, and more particularly to a ring binder kit in which a fastening system may be used to join a ring mechanism to a cover or other substrate.
Conventional ring binders are made by securing a ring mechanism to a cover using rivets. Commonly, ring mechanisms include a housing and a plurality of ring members attached to the housing for retaining loose-leaf pages such as hole-punched pages. Typically, the ring mechanism is secured to the cover by inserting the rivets through the cover and openings in the ring mechanism. The tail of each of the rivets is then deformed (e.g., by punching) to engage and fasten the ring mechanism. Once assembled, the ring binder is packaged and shipped to a distributor, a retailer, or directly to an end user (e.g., a consumer).
One of the drawbacks of traditional ring binders relates to their shipping and storage after they are assembled. When assembled, large gaps exist between the ring mechanism and the cover for each ring binder, thereby leaving large amounts of room unused during shipping and storing of multiple ring binders. The number of ring binders loaded into each package is thus greatly limited. As a result, packaging and shipping conventional ring binders is inefficient, which results in significant shipping and handling costs. Moreover, even a limited number of ring binders occupy a substantial amount of storage space or retail display space.
Efforts to overcome some of the shortcomings of conventional ring binders have been disclosed in coassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,924,811 to To et al.; 5,879,097 to Cheng; and 5,160,209 to Schuessler, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
In one aspect, a ring binder kit generally comprises a substrate having an aperture therein and a ring mechanism comprising a housing and two or more rings. Each ring comprises a first ring member and a second ring member and is configurable between a closed configuration in which the ring members together form a closed loop and an opened configuration in which the ring members are spaced from each other. A fastening system is configured to secure the ring mechanism to the substrate.
The fastening system comprises a tubular support post mounted on and extending at least in part through the ring mechanism housing and at least in part outward of the ring mechanism housing. The tubular support post has a first end configured for contact with the substrate at the housing aperture, a second end longitudinally opposite the first end for contact with the ring mechanism housing, and a sidewall extending from the first end to the second end and having an inner surface defining a central passage through the support post. An expansible retainer comprises a head portion having a hole therethrough, and at least two flexible fingers extending longitudinally from the head portion and having an attached end at which the fingers are attached to the head portion and a free end spaced longitudinally from the head portion. The flexible fingers are arranged circumferentially about the hole in the head portion and collectively having an inner surface that together with the hole defines a central passage extending through the expansible retainer and having a cross-sectional dimension. The flexible fingers are configured such that the cross-sectional dimension of the central passage of the expansible retainer decreases in size as the fingers extend from head portion to the free end of the fingers. The flexible fingers are moveable from a relaxed condition to a deflected condition in which the fingers are deflected transversely outward relative to the relaxed condition. The fingers are sized in cross-section such that in the relaxed condition thereof the fingers are receivable through the substrate aperture and into the central passage of the support post. A generally pin-shaped expansion member has longitudinal ends and is sized in cross-section for insertion into the central passage of the expansible retainer. The cross-section of the expansion member is greater than the cross-sectional dimension of at least a portion of the central passage of the expansible retainer to urge and retains the flexible fingers transversely outward from their relaxed condition to their deflected condition in engagement with the sidewall of the support post.
In another aspect, a ring binder kit generally comprises a substrate having an aperture therein and a ring mechanism comprising a housing and two or more rings. Each ring comprises a first ring member and a second ring member and is configurable between a closed configuration in which the ring members together form a closed loop and an opened configuration in which the ring members are spaced from each other. A fastening system is configured to secure the ring mechanism to the substrate.
The fastening system comprises a tubular support post mounted on and extending at least in part through the ring mechanism housing and at least in part outward of said ring mechanism housing. The tubular support post has a first end configured for contact with the ring mechanism housing at the housing aperture, a second end longitudinally opposite the first end for contact with the ring mechanism housing, and a sidewall extending from the first end to the second end and having an inner surface defining a central passage through the support post. An expansible retainer comprises a head portion having a hole therethrough, and at least two flexible fingers extending longitudinally from the head portion and having an attached end at which the fingers are attached to the head portion and a free end spaced longitudinally from the head portion. The flexible fingers are arranged circumferentially about the hole in the head portion and collectively have an inner surface that together with the hole defines a central passage extending through the expansible retainer. The flexible fingers are moveable from a relaxed condition to a deflected condition in which the fingers are deflected transversely outward relative to the relaxed condition. The fingers are sized in cross-section such that in the relaxed condition thereof the fingers are receivable through the substrate aperture and into the central passage of the support post. The flexible fingers also collectively have an outer surface extending from the head portion to the free end of the fingers. The outer surface are smooth along the entire length of the fingers from the head portion to the free end of the fingers. A generally pin-shaped expansion member has longitudinal ends and is sized in cross-section for insertion into the central passage of the expansible retainer. The cross-section of the expansion member is greater than the cross-sectional dimension of at least a portion of the central passage of the expansible retainer to urge and retain the flexible fingers transversely outward from their relaxed condition to their deflected condition in engagement with the sidewall of the support post.
In yet another aspect, a ring binder kit further comprises a substrate having an aperture therein and a ring mechanism comprising a housing and two or more rings. Each ring comprises a first ring member and a second ring member and is configurable between a closed configuration in which the ring members together form a closed loop and an opened configuration in which the ring members are spaced from each other. A fastening system is configured to secure the ring mechanism to the substrate.
The fastening system comprises a tubular support post mounted on and extending at least in part through the ring mechanism housing and at least in part outward of the ring mechanism housing. The tubular support post has a first end configured for contact with the ring mechanism housing at the housing aperture, a second end longitudinally opposite the first end for contact with the ring mechanism housing, and a sidewall extending from the first end to the second end and having an inner surface defining a central passage through the support post. An expansible retainer comprises a head portion having a hole therethrough, and at least two flexible fingers extending longitudinally from the head portion and having an attached end at which the fingers are attached to the head portion and a free end spaced longitudinally from the head portion. The flexible fingers are arranged circumferentially about the hole in the head portion and collectively have an inner surface that together with the hole defines a central passage extending through the expansible retainer. The flexible fingers are moveable from a relaxed condition to a deflected condition in which the fingers are deflected transversely outward relative to the relaxed condition. The fingers are sized in cross-section such that in the relaxed condition thereof the fingers are receivable through the substrate aperture and into the central passage of the support post. The substrate, the support post, and the expansible retainer are configured relative to each other such that upon assembly thereof the free end of the flexible fingers is disposed within the central passage of the support post intermediate the first and second ends thereof. A generally pin-shaped expansion member has longitudinal ends and is sized in cross-section for insertion into the central passage of the expansible retainer. The cross-section is greater than the cross-sectional dimension of at least a portion of the central passage of the expansible retainer to urge and retain the flexible fingers transversely outward from their relaxed condition to their deflected condition in engagement with the sidewall of the support post.
In still a further aspect, a ring mechanism comprises a housing and two or more rings. Each ring comprises a first ring member and a second ring member and is configurable between a closed configuration in which the ring members together form a closed loop and an opened configuration in which the ring members are spaced from each other. The ring mechanism further comprises a tubular support post mounted on and extending at least in part through the ring mechanism housing and at least in part outward of the ring mechanism housing. The tubular support post has a first end configured for contact with the ring mechanism housing, a second end longitudinally opposite the first end for contact with the ring mechanism housing, and a sidewall extending from the first end to the second end and having an inner surface defining a central passage through the support post. A fastener for securing such a ring mechanism on a substrate in opposed relationship with one face of the substrate generally comprises an expansible retainer comprising a head portion configured for engagement with the opposite face of the substrate and having a hole therethrough, and at least two flexible fingers extending longitudinally from the head portion for extension through the substrate and into the central passage of the support post. The fingers have an attached end at which the fingers are attached to the head portion and a free end spaced longitudinally from the head portion. The flexible fingers are arranged circumferentially about the hole in the head portion and collectively having an inner surface that together with the hole defines a central passage extending through the expansible retainer and having a cross-sectional dimension. The flexible fingers are configured such that the cross-sectional dimension of the central passage of the expansible retainer decreases in size as the fingers extend from head portion to the free end of the fingers. The flexible fingers are moveable from a relaxed condition to a deflected condition in which the fingers are deflected transversely outward relative to the relaxed condition. A generally pin-shaped expansion member is formed separate from the expansible retainer. The expansion member has longitudinal ends and is sized in cross-section for insertion into the central passage of the expansible retainer. The cross-section is greater than the cross-sectional dimension of at least a portion of the central passage of the expansible retainer to urge and retain the flexible fingers transversely outward from their relaxed condition to their deflected condition.
These and other features will become apparent in connection with the description below and the figures, in which:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to
As illustrated in
As seen in
With reference to
Each of the rings 15 comprises two ring members 29, which are supported by the housing 13 for movement relative to one another between the closed position (illustrated) and the opened position (not illustrated). In the closed position, the ring members 29 form a substantially continuous, closed ring or loop for retaining loose-leaf pages and for allowing the pages to move along the rings 15 from one ring member 29 to the other. In the opened position, each ring member 29 forms a discontinuous, open loop suitable for adding or removing pages. The ring members are suitably formed of a conventional, cylindrical rod of suitable material such as steel, but it should be understood that ring members having a different cross section or ring members made of different material do not depart from the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, although in the illustrated mechanism both ring members can move, mechanisms having one movable ring member and one fixed ring member do not depart from the scope of the invention. In addition, mechanisms with greater or fewer than three rings or with rings that form other shapes, such as slanted “D” shapes when the ring members are closed, do not depart from the scope of this invention.
As seen in
The housing 13 is slightly narrower than the joined hinge plates 31 when the hinge plates are in a coplanar position (i.e., an angle between exterior surfaces of the hinge plates is 180°). Therefore, as the hinge plates 31 pivot through this coplanar position, they deform the resilient housing 13 and cause a spring force in the housing that urges the hinge plates 31 to pivot away from the coplanar position, either closing the ring members 29 (i.e., moving the pivot axis down and away from the housing's upper wall) or opening them (i.e., moving the pivot axis up and toward the housing's upper wall). Moreover, when the ring members 29 are closed, this spring force resists hinge plate movement and clamps the ring members together. When the ring members 29 are opened the spring force holds them apart. Thus, the illustrated embodiment uses a conventional arrangement—both generally in terms of use of hinge plates and specifically in terms of use of actuating levers—to move the hinge plates 31 and ring members 29. It should be understood that other ways of moving the ring members 29 and locking them in a closed position or an opened position may be used within the scope of the present invention.
Referring to
The support posts 27 constitute a first component of one embodiment of a ring mechanism fastening system; additional components being illustrated in
The expansible retainer 30 comprises a generally disc-shaped head portion 32 and at least two flexible fingers 34 (e.g., six in the illustrated embodiment) extending longitudinally from the head portion 32. A hole extends through the head portion 32, and the flexible fingers 34 are arranged around the circumference of the hole with inner walls 38 of the flexible fingers 34 generally contiguous with the walls of the hole to define a longitudinal central passage 36 through the expansible retainer 30 (
With particular reference to
The expansion member 40 comprises a generally pin-shaped member. It may have straight cylindrical sides or, as in the illustrated embodiment, may suitably have slightly tapered sides which may or may not match the taper rate of the inner walls 38 of the flexible fingers 34. Furthermore, the expansion member 40 may have a tip portion that tapers (narrows) at a faster rate than the sides of the expansion member taper and, moreover, a slightly rounded endmost tip to facilitate insertion of the expansion member into the longitudinal central passage 36 through the expansible retainer 30. The relative internal and external diameters and taper rates of the expansible retainer passage 36 and the expansion member 40 are selected such that when the expansion member 40 is inserted fully into the central passage of the expansible retainer 30, as illustrated in
Thus, ring binders 1 can be easily assembled using the fastening system of the invention as illustrated in
Accordingly, ring binders 1 can be packaged, shipped, stored and/or sold without having the ring mechanism 3 securely attached to the covers 5. For example, multiple covers 5 can be packaged and shipped together such that little space between adjacent covers is wasted. This can be done by laying the covers 5 flat such that the front panel 5a, back panel 5b, and spine 5c are all substantially in the same plane, and stacking others on top. The ring mechanisms 3 and fasteners can be packaged in the same container as the covers 5, or separately. Either way, the ring mechanism 3 can also be arranged to minimize wasted space. One possible packing arrangement for the ring mechanisms 3 is to pack them in alternating directions such that the rings 15 of one mechanism are positioned between the rings of an adjacent mechanism. As a result, the separated covers 5 and ring mechanisms 3 can be packaged, shipped, and stored more efficiently and cost effectively than ring binders having the ring mechanisms attached.
The ring mechanisms 3 can be attached to the covers 5, for example, by the retailer before distribution to a customer (i.e, after a sale) or before placing them on display. It is also understood that the customer may wish to maintain the ring mechanisms 3 and covers 5 separate to take advantage of the saved storage space. Thus, the customer may be the one who attaches the ring mechanism 3 to the cover 5. Accordingly, it is understood that the ring mechanism and cover can be joined to form a ring binder at any of various times. The examples of the ring mechanism being attached to the cover by a retailer and a customer are exemplary only as it is understood that other individuals, including the ring binder manufacturer, may assemble the ring binder.
When introducing elements of the ring binder mechanisms herein, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” and variations thereof are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Moreover, the use of “forward” and “rearward” and variations of these terms, or the use of other directional and orientation terms, is made for convenience, but does not require any particular orientation of the components.
As various changes could be made in the above without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
