Patent ID: 9522561
Filing Date: 2016-12-20
CPC Classification: B42F

Claim Text:
1. A ring binder mechanism for holding loose-leaf pages, the mechanism comprising: an elongate housing; rings for holding the loose-leaf pages, each ring including a first ring member and a second ring member, the first ring members being moveable relative to the housing and the second ring members between a closed position and an open position, in the closed position the first and second ring members forming a substantially continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf pages retained by the rings to be moved along the rings from one ring member to the other, and in the open position the first and second ring members forming a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the rings; first and second hinge plates supported by the housing for pivoting motion relative to the housing, said first ring members being mounted on the first hinge plate and moveable with the pivoting motion of the first hinge plate between the closed and open positions; an actuator moveable relative to the housing to cause the pivoting motion of the hinge plates, the actuator being moveable between a first position in which the ring members are in the closed position and a second position in which the ring members are in the open position; and a travel bar operatively connected to the actuator, the travel bar including a locking element, the travel bar being moveable between a locked position in which the locking element blocks pivoting movement of the hinge plates to move the rings from the closed position to the open position and an unlocked position in which the locking element permits pivoting movement of the hinge plates to open the rings, wherein the travel bar and housing each comprise a retaining formation, the retaining formation on the housing being adapted to contact the retaining formation on the travel bar to releasably hold the travel bar in the locked position when the rings are closed, and wherein the actuator comprises: a body; a closing arm extending from the body and positioned to pivot the hinge plates to move the rings to the closed position when the actuator moves from the second position to the first position; and an opening arm extending from the body and positioned to pivot the hinge plates and move the rings to the open position when the actuator moves from the first position to the second position.