Patent ID: 8545122
Filing Date: 2013-10-01
Classification: B42F

Abstract:
1. A binding device comprising: a plurality of annular binding rings each including two ring halves each including a binding ring-engaging portion at a free end thereof, the binding ring-engaging portions being engaged with each other to define the plurality of annular binding rings; a holding member having a length which enables the binding rings to be arranged with a space therebetween; an operating member including a surface to which base portions of the respective binding rings are secured, such that the binding rings are arranged with the space therebetween, the operating member including a pair of a first operating piece and a second operating piece disposed inside the holding member, the first and second operating pieces being movable within the holding member in a longitudinal direction of the holding member along substantially an entire longitudinal length of the first and second operating pieces and also being movable in a direction parallel to a line connecting respective binding rings such that the binding rings are secured to the holding member with the space therebetween; and an opening-closing member which, when the binding rings are opened, moves the first and second operating pieces disposed in the holding member in the longitudinal direction of the holding member and causes the binding rings to be moved in an opening direction such that abutting edges of the first and second operating pieces are displaced in a direction approaching an inner surface of the holding member; wherein each of the first and second operating pieces includes a gap portion arranged to accommodate the opening-closing member therein, an opening-closing member-securing portion arranged to secure the opening-closing member in the gap portions of the first and second operating pieces, and a movement restricting portion arranged outside of the gap portion and the opening-closing member-securing portion to restrict movement of the first and second operating pieces in opposite directions to one another along longitudinal directions of the first and second operating pieces; the opening-closing member includes a coil element and first and second securing end portions extending from first and second ends of the coil element, respectively; the first and second operating pieces of the operating member include supporting portions arranged to support the first and second securing end portions extending from the first and second ends of the coil element of the opening-closing member, the supporting portions are defined by holes extending in longitudinal directions of the first and second operating pieces, and the holes are arranged so as to be continuous with insertion holes in the first and second operating pieces into which the first and second securing end portions of the opening-closing member are inserted from one principal surface of the first and second operating pieces toward another principal surface of the first and second operating pieces; the coil element of the opening-closing member is an elastic member, the elastic member being stored in the gap portion of the operating member, and both ends of the coil element are engaged with opening-closing securing portions; the opening-closing member is provided as an operating unit such that a distance between the first and second operating pieces in an opening-closing direction of the binding rings is maintained at a distance that enables the first and second operating pieces to be moved to approach the inner surface of the holding portion and being arranged so as to move the first and second operating pieces of the operating member relative to each other in opposite directions to one another and the longitudinal direction of the holding member so as to elastically bias the first and second operating pieces in a direction to enable the binding rings to be maintained in an opened state; one of the first and second securing end portions is secured to the supporting portion of the second operating piece opposed to the first operating piece by inserting the one of the first and second securing end portions from one principal surface of the second operating piece toward another principal surface of the second operating piece and the other one of the first and second securing end portions is secured to the supporting portion of the first operating piece by inserting the other one of the first and second securing end portion from one principal surface of the first operating piece toward another principal surface of the first operating piece; the first operating piece, with the elastic member, moves in the longitudinal directions of the first and second operating pieces which is a direction to disengage the binding ring-engaging portions and the second operating piece with, the elastic member, moves to a direction to disengage the binding ring-engaging portions, and a V-shaped state of the first and second operating pieces, with the elastic member, is changed to an inverted V-shaped in the direction approaching the inner surface of the holding member; the operating member is arranged to restrict movement of the first and second operating pieces in directions opposite to one another through movement restricting portions; and each of the movement restricting portions includes a restricting recess and a restricting projection provided in abutting edges of the first and second operating pieces at which the first and second operating pieces abut against each other, the restricting projection fits loosely in the restricting recess such that the restricting projection moves in the longitudinal directions of the first and second operating pieces inside the restricting recess, and the restricting recess and the restricting projection are arranged so as to restrict movement of the first and second operating pieces such that the restricting projection of one of the first and second operating pieces abuts on an edge of the restricting recess of the other one of the first and second operating pieces, the edge being disposed on a side opposite to a direction to disengage the binding ring-engaging portions when the pair of the operating pieces are moved in the longitudinal direction of the holding member and the direction parallel to the line connecting respective binding rings secured to the holding member with the space therebetween while the binding ring-engaging portions of the binding rings are disengaged.