The present invention relates generally to ring binder mechanisms for holding loose-leaf pages and more particularly to ring binder mechanisms in which ring members are mounted on pivoting hinge plates that are supported by a metal housing having openings in its side for receiving the ring members.
Various ring mechanisms for retaining loose-leaf pages are known in the art. One type of prior art ring mechanism includes a plurality of rings made of paired ring members mounted on pivoting hinge plates (which are sometimes referred to as carrier rails, ring supports, or toggle plates). A metal housing has bent under rims extending along its opposite longitudinally extending sides. The hinge plates are arranged side-by-side with one another and extend longitudinally in the housing. The outer side edge of each hinge plate is received in a channel formed by the bent under rims at the side of the housing. The ring members extend from the hinge plates though openings in the housing (e.g., notches extending in from the sides of the housing) so the ring members together form a continuous loop extending above the housing when the rings are closed. The hinge plates are typically dimensioned so the combined width of the hinge plates is greater than the distance between the channels on opposite sides of the housing when the housing is in its un-deformed configuration. The hinge plates pivot through a co-planar position as the rings move between open and closed positions. Consequently, opening or closing the rings requires the housing to be deformed to spread the sides of the housing far enough apart to accommodate the combined width of the hinge plates in their co-planar position. This arrangement of features results in the metal housing providing a toggling spring force that tends to hold the rings in the closed position when the rings are closed and tends to hold the rings in the open position when the rings are open. An example of this type of prior art ring mechanism is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,478.
The housings of the ring mechanisms described above are suitably manufactured by forming the housings out of sheet metal. It is desirable to minimize cost by making the housing from sheet metal having the minimum thickness that will still provide the necessary strength. It is also desirable to make the housing so the central portion of the housing between the sides is relatively low to reduce the profile of the ring mechanism. The housing occupies some of the space that could be occupied by loose-leaf pages. Thus, all other things being equal, a ring mechanism having a lower profile housing has the capacity to hold more loose-leaf pages than a ring mechanism having a higher profile housing.
However, there are other design constraints that limit the thinness of the housing and/or the extent to which the profile can be lowered. One of these constraints is that the housing has to be strong enough to withstand forces exerted on it by the hinge plates and other objects during operation of the ring mechanism. Another is that the housing has to be strong enough to withstand forces exerted on it during assembly of the ring mechanism. Moreover, it is sometimes desirable to use automated machines to assemble the ring mechanisms. At least some types of machines used to assemble ring mechanisms require the openings in the housing for receiving the ring members to be notches that extend all the way to the edge of the housing so the ring members can be inserted transversely into their respective opening from the side of the opening. However, this results in a relatively weak narrow neck in the housing where the central portion of the housing extends between the openings for a pair of ring members on opposite sides of the housing. This narrow neck portion is one of the weakest points of the housing and makes the housing vulnerable to being bent, particularly during manufacture of the ring mechanism before the housing is reinforced by the relatively stiff hinge plates.
Housings made from thicker metal and/or shaped to have a relatively higher profile can be more robust because of the increased strength associated with thicker metal and/or the increased bending moment resulting from the cross sectional shape and/or wider neck between the openings for the ring members that can be achieved using a higher profile housing. The housing would be stronger if the openings for the rings did not extend all the way to the sides of the housing, but this requires the ends of the ring members to be inserted through the opening. This is a more complex assembly step and at least some of the machines that are suitable for use when the openings are notches that extend all the way to the side of the housing cannot be used when the openings do not extend all the way to the side of the housing. Typically, assembly of ring mechanisms in which the openings do not extend all the way to the sides of the housing is done manually rather than with automated machines. Thus, there are additional costs associated with the more complex assembly when the openings for the ring members do not extend all the way to the sides of the housing.
One aspect of the invention is a ring mechanism for holding loose-leaf pages. The mechanism includes an elongate housing having a central portion and longitudinally extending sides on opposite sides of the central portion. First and second hinge plates are supported by the housing for pivoting movement relative to the housing. The mechanism has rings for holding the loose-leaf pages. Each ring includes a first ring member and a second ring member. The first ring member is mounted on the first hinge plate and moveable with the pivoting motion of the first hinge plate relative to the second ring member between a closed position and an open position. The first and second ring members form a substantially continuous closed loop in the closed position. The first and second ring members form a discontinuous open loop in the open position. The housing has an opening for receiving one of the first ring members. The opening extends laterally inward toward a longitudinal centerline of the elongate housing. The housing has a vault-forming portion at the inner margin of the opening. The vault-forming portion of the housing is spaced from a longitudinal centerline of the housing and raised above longitudinally adjacent portions of the housing spaced the same distance from the centerline.
Another aspect of the invention is a ring mechanism for holding loose-leaf pages. The ring mechanism includes an elongate housing having a central portion and longitudinally extending sides on opposite sides of the central portion. First and second hinge plates are supported by the housing for pivoting movement relative to the housing. The mechanism has rings for holding the loose-leaf pages. Each ring includes a first ring member and a second ring member. The first ring member is mounted on the first hinge plate and moveable with the pivoting motion of the first hinge plate relative to the second ring member between a closed position and an open position. The first and second ring members form a substantially continuous closed loop in the closed position. The first and second ring members form a discontinuous open loop in the open position. The housing has an opening for receiving one of the first ring members. The opening extends laterally toward a longitudinal centerline of the elongate housing. The housing having an upturned lip at the inner margin of the opening.
Another aspect of the invention is a ring mechanism for holding loose-leaf pages. The ring mechanism includes an elongate housing having a central portion and longitudinally extending sides on opposite sides of the central portion. First and second hinge plates are supported by the housing for pivoting movement relative to the housing. The mechanism has rings for holding the loose-leaf pages. Each ring includes a first ring member and a second ring member. The first ring member is mounted on the first hinge plate and moveable with the pivoting motion of the first hinge plate relative to the second ring member between a closed position and an open position. The first and second ring members form a substantially continuous closed loop in the closed position. The first and second ring members form a discontinuous open loop in the open position. The housing has an opening for receiving one of the first ring members. The opening extends laterally toward a longitudinal centerline of the elongate housing. The housing has a raised bump at the inner margin of the housing. The bump is configured to extend over a segment of said one of the first ring members when the rings are in the closed position. The housing further comprising a dimple positioned along the longitudinal centerline of the housing and extending downward toward the hinge plates to protect the housing from being damaged by the hinge plates as the rings move into the open position. The dimple is offset axially on the housing the ring members.
Other objects and features will in part be apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
Corresponding reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to the drawings,
The mechanism 101 includes an elongate housing 115 (
A pair of hinge plates 131 (
The mechanism 101 also includes a plurality of rings 105 for holding the loose-leaf pages. Each ring 105 includes a pair of ring members 141. At least one of the ring members 141 for each ring 105 is mounted on one of the hinge plates 131 and is moveable with the pivoting motion of the hinge plate relative to its corresponding ring member between a closed position (
The housing 115 has openings 151 in its sides 119 for receiving the ring members 141. The openings 151 extend laterally inward toward the longitudinal centerline 153 of the elongate housing 115. The openings 151 are suitably notches that extend laterally inward from the sides 119 of the housing, as illustrated in
The openings 151 do not extend as far inward toward the longitudinal centerline 153 of the housing 115 as the openings do in some conventional ring mechanisms. The housing 115 suitably has a vault-forming portion 165 (
The vault-forming portion 165 of the housing 115 is suitably spaced from the longitudinal centerline 153 of the housing so the inner margin of the opening is offset from the longitudinal centerline. For example, as illustrated in
The vault-forming portion 165 of the housing 115 forms a vault 171 in the lower surface of the housing at the inner margin of the opening 151. The vault 171 is a space in the ceiling formed by the underside of the housing 115 that extends above the underside of the housing at locations longitudinally adjacent the vault and spaced the same distance laterally from the longitudinal centerline 153 of the housing as the vault. The vault 171 is sized and shaped to receive at least a portion of segment of the ring member 141 associated with the corresponding opening 151. The vault 171 extends laterally inward from the inner margin of the opening 151 For example, when the rings are closed as illustrated in
For example, the width W1 (
The vault-forming portion 165 of the housing is suitably a relatively small structure that does not extend very far from the opening 151. The vault-forming portion 165 suitably does not extend above the central portion 117 of the housing 115. For example, the vault-forming portion 165 of the housing 115 suitably extends no farther than about the diameter of the cross-sectional shape of the ring members 141 from the margins of the adjacent opening 151. Accordingly, the vault-forming portion 165 of the housing 115 does not increase overall height of the housing. The vault-forming portion 165 also adds little or nothing to the amount of material needed to make the housing 115.
The vault-forming housing portion 165 can have various shapes or configurations within the scope of the invention. As illustrated in
A suitable arch-shaped or other vault-forming housing portion 165 can be made by forming an upturned arch-shaped lip on the housing 115 at the inner margin of the opening 151. As used herein the phrase “upturned” does not require the feature to actually extend upward. Instead, a feature such as the lip 165 is also considered “upturned” when it is curved so it does not slope downwardly as rapidly as adjacent portions 167 of the housing 115. Moreover, the phrase “upturned” is intended to describe the end shape of the feature and does not require any particular method of manufacture. Referring again to
The housing 115 also has at least one dimple 191 positioned along the longitudinal centerline 153 of the housing in the central portion 117 of the housing. For example, the illustrated embodiment includes four such dimples 191 as may be seen in
The additional resistance to bending of the housing 115 resulting from the vault-forming housing portions(s) 165 is particularly advantageous during manufacture and assembly of the ring mechanism 101 because the housing is most vulnerable to accidental bending before the hinge plates 131 are assembled in the housing. Accordingly, the vault-forming portions 165 can decrease the precautions that are needed during manufacture and assembly of the ring mechanism 101 to protect the housing 115 from damage. The vault-forming portions can also reduce yield loss associated with damage accidentally inflicted on the housings 115 during manufacture. After the housing 115 is combined with the hinge plates 131, the relatively stiff hinge plates provide substantial reinforcement that greatly reduces the vulnerability of the housing to accidental bending or other damage. Nevertheless, the ring mechanism 101 still benefits from the additional strength in the housing 115 after assembly is complete.
When introducing elements of the present invention of the preferred embodiments thereof, 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” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201110263680.2 | Sep 2011 | CN | national |
201120335071.9 | Sep 2011 | CN | national |
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/606,209, filed Sep. 7, 2012, which claims priority to Chinese Application Nos. 201110263680.2 and 201120335071.9, both of which were filed Sep. 7, 2011, the entire contents of which are all hereby incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13606209 | Sep 2012 | US |
Child | 13866594 | US |