Binder For Perforated Loose Leaves

Abstract

A binder for perforated looseleaf sheets comprises a profiled support member having a cross-sectional shape which defines a back and top and bottom flanges connected to the back. The support member has a longitudinal groove at the juncture between at least one flange and the back, whereby such flange is foldable with respect to the back. The foldable flange contains a longitudinal groove and the other flange contains a dovetail slot in which are slidably mounted studs on which the perforations of looseleaf sheets can be placed. The studs carry beads which interfit in the recess in the foldable flange so as to detachably secure the flanges together folding the support flat and can be closed by folding at a right angle.

Description

The present invention relates to a binder cover for perforated loose leaves. More particularly, the invention concerns a binder, with or without a cover or constituting its own cover, suitable for all perforation systems of loose leaves and for any length of loose leaves.

Briefly, the binder according to the invention comprises on the one hand a profiled or shaped support, for example moulded or extruded from plastic such as polypropylene, and on the other hand studs moulded or extruded from plastic. The profiled support is provided on its external or internal side, with at least one longitudinal groove; if there is only one such groove, it delimits a flat board or flange which, with respect to the back and to the other board or flange of the binder, can be opened by folding back towards the exterior, and can be closed by folding back towards the interior; and if there are for example two grooves, they delimit a back between two which can be opened by with respect to the back.

The profiled support is provided on the inner side of each board with a longitudinal groove or bead with which cooperates with a respective bead or groove at the extremities of the studs, this cooperation providing, for the extremity of each stud on the side of one of the two boards (for example the bottom board) a locking device which is rigid to a tractive pull but which slides longitudinally, and, for the other extremity of each stud or of certain picots only, an engagement which is separable by pulling, the engagement being effected at any desired point of the said profile of the board by a pressing action.

It will be observed that in order to constitute a desired binding, it is only necessary to cut the profiled support to length and to fix on it, at the desired points, the studs corresponding to the perforations of the sheets or leaves employed. A binder of this kind can of course also be fixed inside a standard cover, by riveting or adhesives or the like.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of examples only and without any limitation. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a profiled binder according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section of the profiled binder of FIG. 1, in the closed position;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section of another binder according to the invention, the profiled support being provided with two internal grooves;

FIG. 4 is a transverse section of a further binder according to the invention;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are two partial transverse sections of another profiled support according to the invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a stud according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another stud according to the invention, having a rectangular body;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of another stud according to the invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another stud according to the invention;

FIG. 11 is a transverse section of the binder shown in FIG. 2, in the open position;

FIG. 12 is a transverse section of another binder according to the invention;

FIG. 13 is a transverse section in the open position, of the binder shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another binder according to the invention;

FIG. 15 is a partial plan view of another binder according to the invention;

FIG. 16 is a partial plan view of another binder according to the invention;

FIG. 17 is a diagrammatic explanatory section of the binder;

FIG. 18 is a transverse section of another profiled support according to the invention;

FIG. 19 is a transverse section of another profiled support according to the invention;

FIG. 20 is a transverse section of a further profiled support according to the invention;

FIG. 21 is a transverse section of another profiled support according to the invention;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a binder according to the invention, in the closed position and filled with loose leaves;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a binder according to the invention, associated with a cover;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view in the open position of another binder according to the invention, associated with a cover; and

FIG. 25 is a perspective view in the open position of a further binder according to the invention, associated with a cover.

With reference to the perspective view shown in FIG. 1 and a transverse section shown in FIG. 2, the shaped or profiled support 1 is provided on its outer side with two parallel grooves 2 defining a back 3 between a top flange or board 4 and a bottom flange or board 5, and on the inner side with a rounded bead 6 under the top board 4 and on the bottom board 5 with a groove 7, for example of dovetail form, as shown.

With reference to FIG. 3, the profiled support 1 is provided with two parallel grooves 2 formed in the inner face of the support.

With reference to FIG. 4, the profiled support 1 is provided with a single groove 2 which delimits on the one hand a top board 4 and on the other hand, a back 3 fixed at right angles on the bottom board 5. The top board 4 comprises a longitudinal groove 8.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the profiled support 1 comprises four parallel grooves 2, which permits the binder to be closed on various thicknesses of sheets by giving different widths to the back 3.

With reference to FIG. 7, each moulded stud 11 is terminated at its lower extremity by a shouldered base 12 adapted to slide in the groove 7, and at its upper extremity the stud has a recess 13 which can be engaged with the bead 6.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the profiled stud 14, which may be extruded for example, terminates in the same shouldered base 12 and the same recess 13 as the stud 11 shown in FIG. 7.

With reference to FIG. 9, the stud 15, of the moulded type for example, terminates at its upper portion in a bead 16.

Referring now to FIG. 10, the stud 17 is in the form of an unclosed ring, which enables the user to insert a new sheet without being obliged to remove all or part of the loose leaves.

The cooperation of the binder with the studs will now be described.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 11, the studs 11 for example are mounted on the board 5 by sliding their shoulders 12 into the groove 7. It will be clear that in this way the number of studs required for the perforations of the sheets employed are put in the desired positions. By closing the binder, the grooves 2 open elastically and the bead 6 is elastically engaged in the recess 13 of each stud. To open the binder, it is only necessary to exert a small force to disengage the bead from the recesses. On the other hand, the groove 7 holds the shoulders 12 and keeps the studs 11 in position.

Referring now to FIG. 12, the studs 15 are mounted on the binder by sliding their shoulders 12 into the groove 7. By closing the binder, the bead 16 on the stud 15 is elastically engaged in the groove 8 of the top board 4.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 13, by reason of the single groove 2, in the open position of the binder (FIG. 13), the back 3 remains perpendicular to the bottom board 5, the top board 4 being folded back externally to a horizontal position.

With reference to FIG. 14, in certain cases, especially in order to receive leaves with multiple perforations at short spacing distances (staggered sheets), certain studs 19 may be without beads or recesses.

With reference to FIG. 15, the constant distance between the studs 15 is ensured by an appropriate elongation of the shoulders 12. With reference to FIG. 16, the same result is obtained by means of intercalated plates 20 slidably inserted by in the groove 7.

The Applicant has observed the possibility of the following undesirable condition. With reference to FIG. 17, by pressing hard in the direction of the arrow F on the binder placed on a table T, the binder gives way and folds down, the locking parts 7--12 open and free the studs 11 together with the perforated sheets. In order to prevent this undesirable operation of the binder, the invention provides that each groove 2, whether it is internal (FIG. 18) or external (FIG. 19), cooperates on the inner side with two abutments, or abutment 21 being carried by the board and the other 22 being fixed on the back 3. These two abutments come into contact as soon as the angle between the board and the back becomes less than 90.degree., and they thus prevent the folding of the binder and the release of the locking devices.

The present invention is not limited to the abutments shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, which are only given by way of nonlimitative examples. On the contrary, it covers all equivalent arrangements, such as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. For example, as shown in FIG. 20 or FIG. 21, a single abutment may be sufficient, this abutment then cooperating with the adjacent face.

There will now be described the combination of a binder according to the invention, with various covers.

With reference to FIG. 22, a binder 1 according to the invention is filled with leaves 31 between cover sheets 32, for example.

Referring to FIG. 23, in a binder 1 according to the invention, is mounted a cover 33 which is at the same time wider and higher than the binder 1.

Referring to FIG. 24, a binder 1 according to the invention is mounted in a cover 34, wider and higher than the binder 1.

With reference to FIG. 25, the cover 35 is wider and the same height as the binder 1, the back 3 of which is riveted at 36 on the back 37 of the cover 35.

Claims

I claim:

1. A binder for perforated looseleaf sheets comprising a support member having a cross-sectional shape which defines a back, and top and bottom flanges connected to said back, said support member having a longitudinal groove at the juncture between at least one flange and said back whereby said flange is foldable with respect to said back, studs of plastic material on which perforations of looseleaf sheets can be placed, means connecting the studs to the other of said flanges such that the studs face the first flange and are slidable along the length of said other flange and are retained therein against pulling in a direction normal to said other flange, and means between said one flange and at least selected of said studs for detachably connecting the studs and said one flange, the selected studs being connected with said one flange by application of pressure normal to said one flange and disconnected by application of pressure in reverse direction, said means connecting the studs and said one flange comprising a bead on either the studs or said one flange and a recess on the other for receiving the bead, said bead or recess on said one flange being subtantially continuous so that said selected stud can be connected to said one flange when said stud is in any selected position along the length of said other flange.

2. A binder as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means connecting the studs to said other flange comprises a shoulder on either the studs or flange, and a dovetail groove on the other for slidably receiving the shoulder.

3. A binder as claimed in claim 2 wherein said dovetail groove is in said other flange and extends lengthwise thereof, said shoulder being constituted by a plate on each stud slidable in the groove.

4. A binder as claimed in claim 3 wherein said dovetail groove extends the entire length of said other flange.

5. A binder as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means connecting the studs and said one flange comprises a bead on the selected studs and a recess in said one flange for receiving the beads on the studs, said recess extending the entire length of said one flange.

6. A binder as claimed in claim 1, wherein only a single groove is provided, the back and said other flange being rigidly fixed together at right angles.

7. A binder as claimed in claim 1, in which each said stud in constituted as an interrupted ring having a slot forming said recess.

8. A binder as claimed in claim 3, in which said plate on each stud is extended longitudinally so as to form a spacer between adjacent studs.

9. A binder as claimed in claim 3, further comprising spacer plates intercalated between said studs in said dovetail groove.

10. A binder as claimed in claim 1, in which said support comprises an internal longitudinal abutment at said groove, adapted to abut against said one flange at an angle of about 90.degree. between said one flange and the back.

11. A binder as claimed in claim 1, in which said support comprises two internal longitudinal abutments adjacent said groove, one fixed on said one flange and the other fixed to the back such that the abutments contact each other at an angle of about 90.degree. between said one flange and the back.