Patent ID: 9033608
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: B42F

Abstract:
1. A ring 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 movable 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, the actuator comprising (i) a body; (ii) a closing arm extending from the body and positioned to pivot the hinge plates and move the rings to the closed position when the actuator moves from the second position to the first position; and (iii) 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; and a travel bar comprising 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, the actuator further comprising a flexible arm positioned to push the travel bar toward the locked position when the actuator moves from the second position to the first position, at least a portion of the flexible arm being adapted to deform when the actuator is moved from the second position to the first position, said deformation resulting in rotation of said portion of the flexible arm relative to the body of the actuator in a first direction, wherein movement of the actuator from the second position to the first position includes rotation of the actuator relative to the housing in said first direction.