Patent ID: 8047737
Filing Date: 2011-11-01
Classification: B42F

Abstract:
1. A ring binder mechanism for retaining loose leaf pages, the mechanism comprising: a housing; a ring support supported by the housing for movement relative to the housing; rings for holding the loose-leaf pages, each ring including a first ring member and a second ring member, the first ring member being mounted on the ring support for movement relative to the second ring member between a closed position and an opened position, in the closed position the two ring members form 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 opened position the two ring members form a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the rings; an actuator mounted on the housing for movement relative to the housing whereby said actuator movement pivots the ring support to move the ring members from the closed position to the opened position; a travel bar comprising at least one locking element and being moveable between a locked position wherein the ring members are locked in the closed position and an unlocked position wherein the ring members are capable of being moved to the opened position; an elongate intermediate connector operably connecting the travel bar to the actuator, the intermediate connector extending longitudinally of the housing; and a biasing member engaging the intermediate connector and at least one of the travel bar and actuator for biasing the travel bar toward the locked position.