Title of Invention

A RING BINDER MECHANISM AND A RING BINDER INCORPORATING SAME

Abstract

A ring binder mechanism including a substantially rigid upper structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which at least a first and a second pair of half-ring members are mounted and movable therewith, wherein said lower structure is pivotable between a first configuration in which said pairs of half-ring members are closed and a second configuration in which said pairs of half-ring members are open, said mechanism further including locking means positioned between said first and second pairs of half-ring members and movable among a first position in which movement of said lower structure from said first configuration to said second configuration is prevented, a second position in which movement of said lower structure from said first configuration to said second configuration is allowed, and a third position in which said pairs of half-ring members are open. 16

Full Text

FORM-2 THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [Section 10] 1. "A Ring Binder Mechanism and a Ring Binder Incorporating Same" 2. (a) World Wide Stationery Manufacturing Company Limited. (b) 19/F., Koon Wah Mirrors Fty., 3rd Ind. Building, 5-9 Ka Hing Road, Kwai Chung, New Territories, Hong Kong. (c) Hong Kong, China The following specification particularly describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed. ORIGINAL GRANTED 17-4-2003 The present invention relates to a ring binder mechanism and, in particular, a ring binder mechanism with a locking mechanism. This invention also relates to a ring binder incorporating such a ring binder mechanism. Ring binders incorporating ring binder mechanisms have been available for a long time, and various modifications have been proposed to improve the performance of the mechanism. As a large amount of loose leaf sheets may be retained by the ring binder mechanism, when the ring binder is positioned in a upright vertical manner, such loose leaf sheets will exert considerable pressure on half-rings of the mechanism. The half-rings may therefore be forced open under the weight of the loose-leaf sheets. It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a ring binder mechanism in which the aforesaid shortcoming is mitigated. 2 It is a further object of the present invention to provide a ring binder mechanism with a locking mechanism operable to lock the half-rings against relative movement when the half-rings are closed, to open the half-Tings and to close the half-rings. It is a yet further object of the present invention to at least to provide a useful alternative to the public and trade. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ring binder mechanism including a substantially rigid upper structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which at least a first and a second pair of half-ring members are mounted and movable therewith, wherein said lower structure is pivotable between a first configuration in which said pairs of half-ring members are closed and a second configuration in which said pairs of half-ring members are open, said mechanism further including locking means positioned between said first and 3 second pairs of half-ring members and movable among a first position in which movement of said lower structure from said first configuration to said second configuration is prevented, a second position in which movement of said lower structure from said first configuration to said second configuration is allowed, and a third position in which said pairs of half-ring members are open. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ring binder including a ring binder mechanism secured to an article, said ring binder mechanism including a substantially rigid upper structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which at least a first and a second pair of half-ring members are mounted and movable therewith, wherein said lower structure is pivotable between a first configuration in which said pairs of half-ring members are closed and a second configuration in which said pairs of half-ring members are 4 open, said mechanism further including locking means positioned between said first and second pairs of half-ring members and movable among a first position in which movement of said lower structure from said first configuration to said second configuration is prevented, a second position in which movement of said lower structure from said first configuration to said second configuration is allowed, and a third position in which said pairs of half-ring members are open. An embodiment of the present invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a ring binder mechanism according to the present invention; Fig. 2A is an exploded view of the lever in the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 2B is an assembled view of the lever shown in 5 Fig. 2A; Fig. 3A is a longitudinal sectional view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 1, in the locked state; Fig. 3B is a top view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 3A; Fig. 3C is a top perspective view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 3A; Fig. 3D is a further top perspective view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 3A, with part of the upper casing removed; Fig. 3E is a transverse sectional view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 3A; Fig. 4A is a longitudinal sectional view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 1, in the unlocked state; Fig. 4B is a top view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 4A; Fig. 4C is a top perspective view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 4A; 6 Fig. 4D is a further top perspective view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 4A, with part of the upper casing removed; Fig. 4E is a transverse sectional view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 4A; Fig. 5A is a longitudinal sectional view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 1, in the ring-open state; Fig. 5B is a top view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 5A; Fig. 5C is a top perspective view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 5A; Fig. 5D is a further top perspective view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 5A, with part of the upper casing removed; and Fig. 5E is a transverse sectional view of the ring binder mechanism shown in Fig. 5A. 7 An exploded view of a ring binder mechanism according to the present invention is shown in Fig. 1, generally designated as 100. The mechanism 100 includes a substantially rigid steel upper casing 102 supporting a pair of steel carrier plates 104. As in the usual manner, the pair of carrier plates 104 are so arranged that they may exhibit pivotal movement relative to each other, thus allowing steel half-rings 106a, 106b fixedly mounted to the carrier plates 104 to be opened and closed, as desired. At each longitudinal end of the ring binder mechanism 100 is a hole 101 through which a securing element, e.g. a rivet or screw, may be received, for securing the ring binder mechanism 100 to an article, e.g. a plastics or cardboard cover, to form a ring binder. As can be seen in Fig. 1, for further strengthening the upper casing, a bulge 108 is positioned at about the mid-part of the upper casing 102, extending slightly above 8 the general curve of the upper casing 102. An elongate slot 110 is provided along the bulge 108, and lying along the longitudinal axis of the upper casing 102. The slot 110 allows a lever, generally designated as 120 and to be discussed in more detail below, to extend there through and swivel relative thereto. The lever 120 is shown in more detail in Figs. 2A and 2B. The lever 120 includes a shank 122 fixedly secured to a body part 124 for simultaneous movement. As the shank 122 is made of steel, its distal end away from the body part 124 is received within a plastics cover 126, to provide comfort in use. The body part 124 includes a central part 128 with two apertures 130, each for receiving a toe 132 at a lower end of the shank 122. When the toes 132 are so received within the apertures 130, the toes 132 are deformed, e.g. being punched, to fixedly secure the shank 122 to the body part 124 to form the lever 120. 9 Adjoining to each side of the central part 128 is a wing portion 134, which extends outwardly and downwardly in the form of a finger 136. A neck portion 138 extends downwardly from the central part 128, and terminates in a lug 148 which is wider than the neck 138, and curves away from the shank 122. On an underside of the central part 128 are two bottom edges 129. The function of the lever 120 will be discussed in more detail below. Turning back to Fig. 1, it can be seen that a rectangular recess 140 is formed along a respective inner lateral edge 142 of each carrier plate 104. When the two carrier plates 104 are properly adjoined with each other, the two recesses 140 collectively form a hole for receiving the neck portion 138 of the central part 128 of the body part 124. When the neck portion 138 is thus received within the hole formed by the two recesses 140, the body part 124 is engaged with and movable relative to the plates 10 104, and the shank 122 extends through the slot 110 of the upper casing 102 for swivelling movement relative to the casing 102 about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the casing 102. In addition, along a respective outer lateral side 144 of each plates 104 is provided a rectangular notch 146 for receiving a finger 136 of a respective wing portion 134 of the body part 124 of the lever 120. With this arrangement, the lever 120 is retained by the plates 104 for relative movement, to be discussed below. Figs. 3A to 3E show the ring binder mechanism 100 in a ring-closed and locked configuration. In this configuration, the shank 122 of the lever 120 is inclined towards the half-rings 106a. As can be seen more clearly in Figs. 3D and 3E, the fingers 136 extends through the notches 146 to below the plates 104, and the lug 148 is also below the plates 104, in the sense shown in Fig. 3E. 11 The central part 128 has a curved upper edge 150 which corresponds closely to the curvature of the inner surface of the bulge 108 of the upper casing 102. When the lever 120 is in this position, the central part 128 is substantially vertical, and the curved upper edge 150 abuts the inner surface of the bulge 108 of the casing 102. In this configuration, pivoting of the plates 104 upwardly, in the sense of Fig. 3E, is prevented, even if one tries to pull the rings 106a, 106b apart. The rings 106a, 106b are thus locked against any pivotal movement to open the rings 106a, 106b. Turning to Figs. 4A to 4E, such show the ring binder mechanism 100 in a ring-closed and unlocked position. In this position, and as shown more clearly in Figs. 4A and 4D, the central part 128 and the wing portions 134 of the body part 124 are inclined towards the rings 106b, whereas the shank 122 extends generally upwardly, in the 12 sense of Fig. 4A. As can be seen more clearly in Fig. 3E, the curved upper edge 150 is clear of the inner surface of the bulge 108 of the upper casing 102. In this way, there is a degree of freedom between the lever 120 and the plates 104, such that the lever 120 may be swivelled relative to the plates 104 by about 20° without occupying either the position shown in Figs. 3A to 3E and discussed above, or the position shown in Figs. 5A to 5E , to be discussed below. When the lever 120 is in the position shown in Figs. 4A to 4E, the rings 106a or 106b are said to be unlocked, in that they may be pulled outwardly to cause the plates 104 to pivot upwardly so that the plates 104 occupy a stable configuration in which their upper surfaces subtend an angle of over 180° . Alternatively, the lever 120 may be pivoted towards the half-rings 106b so that the lug 148 and the fingers 136 will act on the lower surfaces of the 13 plates 104 to pivot the plates 104 to occupy the same ring-open stable configuration, as shown in Figs. 5A to 5E. As shown in Figs. 5A to 5E, when the half-rings 106a, 106b are open, the shank 122 of the lever 120 is inclined towards the half-rings 106b. The half-rings 106a, 106b may be closed by being pushed towards each other, whereupon the plates 104 will be pivoted from the stable configuration as shown in Figs. 5A to 5E to the stable configuration as shown in Figs. 3A to 3E in which the upper surfaces of the plates 104 subtend an angle of less than 180° . Alternatively, the lever 120 may be pivoted towards the rings 106a, so that the lower edges 129 of the central part 128 of the lever 120 will act on the upper surfaces of plates 104 to cause them to pivot to the stable configuration as shown in Figs. 3A to 3E to close the half-rings 106a, 106b. 14 It should be understood that the above only illustrates an example whereby the present invention may be carried out, and that various modifications and/or alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. It should also be understood that certain features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described here in the context of a single embodiment, may, in practice, also be provided separately or in any appropriate sub-combinations. 15 i We claim: 1. A ring binder mechanism including a substantially rigid upper structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which at least a first and a second pair of half-ring members are mounted and movable therewith, wherein said lower structure is pivotable between a first configuration in which said pairs of half-ring members are closed and a second configuration in which said pairs of half-ring members are open, said mechanism further including locking means positioned between said first and second pairs of half-ring members and movable among a first position in which movement of said lower structure from said first configuration to said second configuration is prevented, a second position in which movement of said lower structure from said first configuration to said second configuration is allowed, and a third position in which said pairs of half-ring members are open. 16 2. A ring binder mechanism according to Claim 1 wherein said locking means is swivellable relative to said upper structure. 3. A ring binder mechanism according to Claim 2 wherein said locking means is swivellable relative to said upper structure substantially about an axis substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of said upper structure. 4. A ring binder mechanism according to Claim 1 wherein when said locking means is in said first position, an actuating member of said locking means is inclined towards said first pair of half-ring members. 5. A ring binder mechanism according to Claim 1 wherein when said locking means is in said third position, an actuating member of said locking means is inclined towards said second pair of half-ring members. 6. A ring binder mechanism according to Claim 1 wherein said locking means is movable from said 17 second position to said third position to cause said lower structure to pivot from said first configuration to said second configuration. 7. A ring binder mechanism according to Claim 1 wherein said locking means is movable from said third position to said second position to cause said lower structure to pivot from said second configuration to said first configuration. 8. A ring binder mechanism substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings. 9. A ring binder including a ring binder mechanism as claimed in any of the preceding claims secured to an article. Dated this 16lh Day of April 2003. Dr. Rajeshkumar H. Acharya Advocate & Patent Agent For and on behalf of Applicant 18

Documents:

390-mum-2003 abstract(17-4-2003).pdf

390-mum-2003 claims(17-4-2003).pdf

390-mum-2003 correspondence(30-9-2004).pdf

390-mum-2003 correspondence(ipo)(16-10-2007).pdf

390-mum-2003 declration(16-4-2003).pdf

390-mum-2003 drawing(17-4-2003).pdf

390-mum-2003 form 1(17-4-2003).pdf

390-mum-2003 form 1(2-1-2004).pdf

390-mum-2003 form 1(22-5-2003).pdf

390-mum-2003 form 19(30-5-2005).pdf

390-mum-2003 form 2(granted)(17-4-2003).pdf

390-mum-2003 form 26(16-4-2003).pdf

390-mum-2003 form 3(16-4-2003).pdf

390-mum-2003 form 3(2-1-2003).pdf

390-mum-2003 form 3(22-5-2003).pdf

390-mum-2003 form 3(30-9-2004).pdf

390-mum-2003 form 5(22-5-2003.pdf

390-mum-2003-abstract(17-4-2003).doc

390-mum-2003-claims(granted)-(17-4-2003).doc

390-mum-2003-form 2(granted)-(17-4-2003).doc

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