Patent ID: 9102188
Filing Date: 2015-08-11
Classification: B42F

Abstract:
1. A ring binder mechanism comprising: a housing; a hinge plate connected to the housing and pivotable relative thereto; a ring member rigidly attached to the hinge plate and pivotable therewith relative to the housing; a locking element comprising a pinion, the locking element affixed to the housing and rotatable relative thereto between an open orientation and a closed orientation, the locking element allowing pivoting of the hinge plate when in the open orientation and blocking pivoting of the hinge plate when in the closed orientation; a bar comprising a rack engaging the pinion, the bar translatable relative to the housing between an open position and a closed position, wherein translation of the bar to the open position causes the rack to rotate the locking element to the open orientation and translation of the bar to the closed position causes the rack to rotate the locking element to the closed orientation; and an actuator attached to the housing and having a handle portion extending outside of the housing and an engagement portion within the housing operatively connected to the bar to translate the bar between the open and closed positions when the handle portion is moved between an open disposition and a closed disposition; wherein the locking element further comprises a rotor having locking lugs projecting there-from towards the hinge plate; the rotor being co-rotational with the pinion such that the locking lugs block pivoting of the hinge plate when in the closed orientation.