Abstract:
There is disclosed a ring binder ( 100 ) including a ring binder mechanism ( 106 ) secured to a cover, wherein the ring binder mechanism ( 106 ) includes a pair of pivoting plates to which half-rings ( 112 ) are mounted, and the pivoting plates are movable between a first configuration in which the half-rings ( 112 ) are open, and a second configuration in which the half-rings ( 112 ) are closed, and the ring binder ( 100 ) includes a holder ( 114, 202 ) for releasably engaging with a compact disk ( 210 ).

Description:
This invention relates to a ring binder, and in particular a ring binder with mechanism for releasably holding a compact disk. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are in existence a large variety of ring binders which allow retention and retrieval of loose-leaf sheets. While it is well known to record information and data on paper, with the advancement of technology, much information and data can be and are now stored in and retrieved from compact disks, whether such be audio compact disks, video compact disks or digital video disks. However, existing ring binders do not cater for this technological advancement, and users of such ring binders have to find ways to store the compact disks, which may contain information and data which are relevant to those stored in the loose-leaf sheets retained by the ring binders. 
     It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a ring binder in which the aforesaid shortcoming is mitigated, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the public. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ring binder including a ring binder mechanism secured to a base member, wherein said ring binder mechanism includes a pivotable structure to which a plurality of half-ring members are mounted, wherein said pivotable structure is movable between a first configuration in which said half-ring members are open, and a second configuration in which said half-ring members are closed, wherein said ring binder includes at least one holder adapted to be releasably engaged with a compact disk, wherein said holder is fixedly secured to said base member and wherein said holder includes a plurality of securing members penetrable into said base member to fixedly secure said holder to said base member. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ring binder including a ring binder mechanism secured to a base member, wherein said ring binder mechanism includes a pivotable structure to which a plurality of half-ring members are mounted, wherein said pivotable structure is movable between a first configuration in which said half-ring members are open, and a second configuration in which said half-ring members are closed, wherein said ring binder includes at least one holder adapted to be releasably engaged with a compact disk, wherein said holder is movable relative to said base member, wherein said holder is fixedly secured to a board member, and wherein said board member includes at least an aperture allowing a half-ring member to extend therethrough. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of ring binder in accordance with the present invention will now be described, with examples only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a ring binder, with a first type of compact disk holder, according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the ring binder in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of ring binder shown in FIG. 1 with a second type of compact disk holder. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the ring binder shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5A is a top perspective view of the first type of compact disk holder shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5B is a top perspective view of the second compact disk holder shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6A is a bottom perspective view of the first type of compact disk holder shown in FIG. 5A; 
     FIG. 6B is a bottom perspective view of the second type of compact disk holder shown in FIG. 6A; 
     FIGS. 7A to  7 C show the manner in which a compact disk is engaged with or disengaged from the compact disk holder according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the first type of compact disk holder shown in FIG. 5A as secured to a cardboard, forming part of a third embodiment of a ring binder according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 8B is a perspective view of the second type of compact disk holder shown in FIG. 5B as secured to a cardboard, forming part of the third embodiment of ring binder according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 8C is a perspective view showing a compact disk as engaged with the third embodiment of ring binder according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 8A or  8 B. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 collectively show a first ring binder according to the present invention, and generally designated as  100 . The ring binder  100  includes two side covers  102   a ,  102   b  joined by a central spine portion  104 . To the side cover  102   a  is fixedly secured a ring binder mechanism  106  via two rivets  108 . The ring binder mechanism  106  includes a curved substantially rigid upper plate  110  supporting a pair of pivoting plates (not shown). To each of the plates are fixedly secured three half rings  112 , which may be caused to open or close upon pivoting of the pivoting plates, so that loose-leaf sheets may be retained by or retrieved from the ring binder  100 . To the side cover  102   b  is fixedly engaged a compact disk (CD) holder  114 , details of which will be discussed below. In this connection, the term “compact disk” here includes CD-ROM, video compact disk and digital video disk. By way of such an arrangement, one or more compact disk may be releasably engaged with the ring binder  100 . In FIGS. 3 and 4, the ring binder  100  is shown as secured with a different compact disk holder  202 . 
     Referring to the compact disk holder  114  shown in FIGS. 5A and 6A, such includes a generally triangular plate  120  with rounded corners  122 . The disk holder  114  is made of steel. Adjacent to each comer  122  are a set of claws  124  which extend downwardly from the undersurface of the plate  120 . Each claw  124  of the same set also extends generally away from the longitudinal axis of a respective circular aperture  126 . Provided in the central area of the compact disk holder  114  is a compact disk retaining mechanism  128  with four resilient fingers  130  which extend generally upwardly from the upper surface of the plate  120  and uniformly around a central hole  131 . The disk holder  114  also includes four curved slots  132  uniformly distributed around the central hole  131 , each adjacent to or near a respective finger  130 . The fingers  130  are nearer to the central hole  131  than are the slots  132  to the central hole  131 . By way of such an arrangement, the fingers  130  may be moved to retain the compact disk, or to allow the compact disk to be retrieved, in a manner to be discussed below. 
     As to the compact disk holder  202  shown in FIGS. 5B and 6B, its main differences with the compact disk holder  114  shown in FIGS. 5A and 6A are that its plate  204  is generally square in shape, and that there are four sets of claws  124 . It should in fact be understood that the plate of the compact disk holder can be of different shapes. 
     FIGS. 7A to  7 C show the manner in which a compact disk  210  may be engaged with or disengaged from the compact disk holder  114 , although it should be understood that the same principle applies in respect of the compact disk holder  202 . It can be seen in FIG. 7A that the claws  124  of the compact disk holder  114  penetrate into the side cover  102   b , so that the compact disk holder  114  is fixedly secured to the side cover  102   b . This engagement between the compact disk holder  114  and the side cover  102   b  is enhanced by the fact that the claws  124  extend away from the aperture  126 , which act against attempts of disengagement. In this situation, the fingers  130  extend slightly away from the longitudinal axis of the hole  131 . When the compact disk  210  is pushed onto the compact disk holder  114  (as shown in FIG.  7 B), the fingers  130  are caused to bend slightly inwardly (which is allowed by the existence of the curved slots  132 ) to allow movement of the compact disk  210  therethrough, until the compact disk  210  reaches the position shown in FIG. 7C, in which it is engaged with the compact disk holder  114 . The engagement between the compact disk  210  and the compact disk holder  114  is thus in a snap-fit manner. 
     If the compact disk  210  is to be disengaged from the holder  114 , a user has to act on the fingers  130  to bend them slightly inwardly to the position shown in FIG. 7B, whereupon the disk  210  may be disengaged from the holder  210 . 
     As an alternative embodiment, the compact disk holder  114  (as shown in FIG. 8A) or  202  (as shown in FIG.  8 B), may be fixedly secured to a rectangular cardboard  220 , as shown in FIG.  8 C. The cardboard  220  includes two openings  222 , which are positioned, sized and configured to allow the half-rings  112  to extend through, e.g. one of each of the two outermost half-ring pairs  112  extend through a respective opening  222 , so that the cardboard may be retained by the ring binder mechanism  106 , and movable relative to it. This allows the compact disk  210  to be stored among other loose-leaf sheets, according to the purpose of the user.