Abstract:
A report cover which can both secure loose papers therein and may itself be secured into a ring binder. The interior portion of the spine which lies between the front and back pages of the cover includes a securing device for loose papers. The securing device can be cooperating pronged fasteners and apertures, clamps or clasps. The exterior portion of the spine includes a plurality of apertures which are spaced apart from each other. The distance between the apertures is adapted to be complementary to the spacing between the prongs of a ring binder and more specifically to the prongs of a three-ring binder. The apertures in the spine may be formed within the exterior portion of the spine or may be offset therefrom. The offset apertures are formed by spring clips which are movably attached to the exterior portion of the spine. The apertures in the exterior portion of the spine receive the prongs of the ring binder therethrough. A plurality of report covers may therefore be secured within the same ring binder, with each of the report covers securing loose papers within them.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Technical Field  
         [0002]     This invention generally relates to report covers. More particularly, the invention relates to flexible report cover into which loose pieces of paper may be filed. Specifically, the invention relates to a report cover which has a spine that both allow papers to be secured within the cover and allows the cover to be secured into a ring binder.  
         [0003]     2. Background Information  
         [0004]     It is common for school students to use inexpensive paperboard report covers to store and protect their worksheets and writing paper. These report covers typically comprise a folder which has an internal central spine which includes two-prong fasteners for securing papers therein. The student secures their three-hole punched papers into the report cover by inserting the prongs of the fasteners through the holes in the paper and then through apertures in the spine of the cover. The prongs are separated from each other and pushed into abutting contact with the spine of the cover. The report covers may also include pockets on the insides of the cover for holding loose sheets of paper. Alternatively, the student may use report covers which include Duo-Tang® fasteners, three prong metal fasteners or clamp type fasteners. Students may alternatively store their worksheets inside report covers which only have two pockets in the interior. Some of these two pocket report covers may have three holes punched in the cover to allow the report cover to be secured within a three-ring binder. These report covers, however, do not provide any mechanism for securing loose papers into the covers.  
         [0005]     The student typically needs several report covers, using one report cover for each school subject. These report covers are carried around in the student&#39;s school bag and, because the covers are typically manufactured from an inexpensive, lightweight material, they tend to get easily damaged and crumpled. The covers therefore fail to serve their purpose as a protective storage device. Furthermore, the student may confuse one report cover with another and consequently bring incorrect papers to a particular class or may lose the entire report cover and its contents.  
         [0006]     In order to address this problem, students may alternatively use hardcovered ring binders as a protective storage device for their papers and worksheets. However, in order to separate papers for different subjects, a series of dividers has to be used. This allows the student to store all of their materials, but if they need to remove all of the papers for one subject from the binder, the papers are then simply loose sheets that may become disorganized, lost or damaged.  
         [0007]     Alternatively, students may use bound notebooks to ensure that their notes are both secure and protected. These notebooks do not, however, address the need for students to insert loose worksheets, maps or other papers into their notes relating to a particular subject.  
         [0008]     There is therefore a need in the art for an inexpensive report cover which allows students to maintain all of their papers relating to one subject therein, but which can also be centrally organized and protected.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention is a report cover which has a spine which enables loose papers to be secured into the cover and which also allows the cover to be secured into a ring binder. A plurality of report covers may therefore be secured within a ring binder with each of the report covers being adapted to secure loose papers relating to a different subject. The exterior portion of the spine includes a plurality of apertures which are spaced apart from each other. The distance between the apertures is complementary to the spacing between the prongs of a ring binder and more specifically to a three-ring binder. The apertures in the spine may be formed within the exterior portion of the spine or may be offset therefrom. The offset apertures are formed by spring clips which are movably attached to the exterior portion of the spine.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The preferred embodiments of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principles, are set forth in the following description and are shown in the drawings and are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a prior art report cover showing the cover in a closed position;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the report cover of  FIG. 1  showing the cover in an open position;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a partial bottom view of the report cover of  FIG. 2  showing the interior central spine and prong fasteners for attachment of papers therein;  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is front view of a first embodiment of the report cover in accordance with the present invention; and showing the report cover in a close position;  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the report cover of  FIG. 4  showing the cover in an open position;  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a partial bottom view of the report cover of  FIG. 4 , showing both the interior and exterior central spine;  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a partial front view of a second embodiment of the report cover in accordance with the present invention and showing the cover in an open position;  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  is a partial bottom view of the report cover of  FIG. 7 , showing the detail of the exterior portion of the central spine;  
         [0019]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the report cover in accordance with the present invention and showing a variation in the construction of the exterior portion of the spine;  
         [0020]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged partial perspective view of the spine of the report cover shown in  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 11  is a front view of a third embodiment of the report cover in accordance with the present invention and showing a spring clip in an extended position for engagement in a ring binder;  
         [0022]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the spring clip that is inserted into the report cover of  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 13   a  is a perspective view of the exterior of the report cover showing the spring clips engaged in slots in the spine;  
         [0024]      FIG. 13   b  is a perspective view of the interior of the report cover showing the spring clips engaged in slots in the spine;  
         [0025]      FIG. 14  is a partial bottom view of the opened report cover;  
         [0026]      FIG. 15  is a front view of the report cover with the spring clip in a retracted position;  
         [0027]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a report cover in a position to secure a plurality of sheets of paper therein;  
         [0028]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a report cover with the plurality of sheets of a paper secured therein;  
         [0029]      FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the report cover of  FIG. 17  in a closed position;  
         [0030]      FIG. 19  is a perspective view of a plurality of report covers in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention being inserted into a ring binder for safekeeping; and  
         [0031]      FIG. 20  is a perspective view of a plurality of report covers in accordance with the third embodiment of the invention being inserted into a ring binder for safekeeping. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0032]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3  there is shown the previously known type of report cover, generally indicated at  10 . Cover  10  includes a front sheet  12  and a back sheet  14  joined together at a spine  16 . Spine  16  includes a first section  18  and a second section  20  which extend into the interior of cover  10 . First section  18  has a plurality of two-pronged fasteners  22  and second section  20  has a plurality of corresponding apertures  24 . A sheet of three-hole punched paper (not shown) can be secured into report cover  10  by inserting the prongs of fasteners  22  through holes in the paper and then into apertures  24 . The prongs  22  are then opened up to lie flat against the side  20   a  of second section  20 .  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIGS. 4-6 , there is shown a first embodiment of a report cover in accordance with the present invention, and generally indicated at  50 . Report cover  50  comprises a front sheet  52  and a back sheet  54  joined together at a spine  56 . Cover  50  has an inner surface  50   a  and an outer surface  50   b . Spine  56  includes an interior portion  56   a  which extends outwardly from the inner surface  50   a  of cover  50 . Interior portion  56   a  of spine  56  has a first section  58  with a plurality of two-pronged fasteners  60  extending therefrom and a second section  62  with a plurality of corresponding apertures  64  formed therein. Apertures  64  preferably also include a reinforcing ring  65  disposed thereabout. A sheet of three-hole punched paper (not shown) may be secured into report cover  50  by inserting the prongs of fasteners  60  through holes in the paper and then through apertures  64 . Apertures  64  may be reinforced as is common in the art. The prongs are then opened up to lie flat against the side  62   a  of second section  62 .  
         [0034]     In accordance with one of the specific features of the present invention, spine  56  also includes an exterior portion  56   b  which extends outwardly from the outer surface  50   b  of cover  50  ( FIGS. 1 &amp; 6 ). Exterior portion  56   b  of spine  56  includes a plurality of apertures  66  therein. Apertures  66  are spaced and configured to engage the prongs of a three-ring binder as will be described hereinafter. As may be most clearly seen in  FIG. 6 , apertures are circumscribed by a reinforcement  68 . Exterior portion  56   b  of spine  56  preferably is formed from at least one fold of paper which consequently forms a spine  56  having two layers of material with aligned apertures  66  therein. Reinforcement  68  is applied around apertures  66  in such a manner that both layers of material are connected together and do not separate from each other when cover  50  is opened. A suitable reinforcement  68  would be a metal grommet or a paper or fiber ring surrounding apertures  66 .  
         [0035]     A second embodiment of report cover is shown in  FIGS. 7 &amp; 8  and is generally indicated at  150 . As with the first embodiment, cover  150  has a front sheet  152  and a back sheet  154  joined together at a spine  156 . Cover  150  has an inner surface  150   a  and an outer surface  150   b . An interior portion  156   a  of spine  156  extends outwardly from inner surface  150   a  of cover. An exterior portion  156   b  of spine  156  extends outwardly from outer surface  150   b  of cover. Exterior portion  156   b  of spine  156  preferably is formed from at least one fold of paper, but in this embodiment of the invention, each layer of the fold remains separated from the other. Each layer has a plurality of apertures  66  therein and each aperture  66  is circumscribed by a reinforcement  168 . Interior portion  156   a  of spine is substantially identical to the interior portion  56   a  of the first embodiment and includes a first section  158  with prongs of fasteners  160  extending therefrom. Interior portion  156   a  further includes a second section  162  with a plurality of correspondingly positioned apertures  164  therein. As with the previous embodiment, apertures  164  may also be reinforced with a ring  165  as is common in the art. The configuration of the exterior portion  156   b  of spine  156  allows spine  156  to be opened wider allowing for easier insertion of pieces of paper (not shown) into cover through the increased clearance between the prongs of fasteners  160  and the apertures  164  which receive them.  
         [0036]     A third embodiment of the report cover in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , and is generally indicated at  250 . As with the previous embodiments, cover  250  has a front sheet  252 , a back sheet  254 , an inner surface  250   a  and an exterior surface (not shown). Front and back sheets  252 ,  254  are joined together at a spine  256 . Spine  256  includes an interior portion  256   a  and an exterior portion  256   b . Exterior portion  256   b  of spine  256  is formed as a fold in only the back sheet  254  of cover  250 . It will, of course, be understood that the fold may alternatively be formed in only the front sheet  252  of cover  250 . As with the previous embodiments, exterior portion  256   b  of spine  256  is provided with a plurality of reinforced apertures (not shown) which are adapted to engage the prongs of a ring binder.  
         [0037]     A fourth embodiment of the report cover in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 11-15 , and generally indicated at  350 . As with the previous embodiments, cover  350  has a front sheet  352 , a back sheet  354 , an inner surface  350   a  and an exterior surface  350   b . Front and back sheets  352 ,  354  are joined together at a spine  356 . Spine  356  includes an interior portion  356   a  and an exterior portion  356   b . Exterior portion  356   b  is formed from at least one fold of material and the two layers of material in the fold are not connected together. A plurality of slots (not shown) is formed at intervals along the apex  370  of exterior portion  356   b . The slots lie substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis Y-Y′ of the exterior portion  356   b  of spine  356  ( FIGS. 11   a  &amp;  11   b ). The position of the slots corresponds to the spacing between the prongs (not shown) of a three-ring binder. A reinforcing spring clip  368  is received within each slot. Clip  368  preferably is manufactured from either metal or plastic. Clip  368  includes a generally U-shaped tab portion  372  from which a pair of legs  374  extend. Tab portion  372  of each clip  368  further includes a hole  376  which is adapted to engage the prong of the three-ring binder. Tab portion has a longitudinal axis shown at X-X′ in  FIG. 10 . Legs  374  extend from tab portion  372  substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis X-X′ of tab portion  372 . Legs  374  are inserted through the slot in spine  356  and when inserted, legs  374  lie in proximity to inner surface  350   a  of cover  350 . Tab portion  372  of reinforcing clip  368  has side walls  373  which include a pair of coplanar indentations  378  therein. When indentations  378  on side walls  373  of clip  368  engage in one of the slots in spine  356 , then an end wall  380  ( FIG. 10 ) of clip  368  lies substantially in abutting contact with exterior portion  356   b  of spine  356 . When clip  368  is pulled outwardly in the direction of arrow “A” ( FIG. 16 ), then end wall  380  lies remote from apex  370  of spine  356  and a hole  376  is formed between end wall  380  and apex  370 . When in this position, the prong of a ring binder can be received through hole  376 . End wall  380  of clip  368  is pushed inwardly into abutting contact with apex  370  of spine  356  when cover  350  is being used and is not being stored in the ring binder. The user inserts loose sheets of paper into cover  350  by passing the prongs  360  of the fasteners in interior portion  356   a  of spine  356  through holes punched in the paper and then into cooperating apertures  364  in interior portion  356   a  of spine  356 .  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIGS. 16-18 , the report cover of the present invention is used in the following manner. A plurality of sheets of paper  80  may be secured into cover  50  in the following manner. Each sheet of paper  80  preferably is provided with three holes  82 . The user pushes the prongs of fastener  60  through holes  82  in the paper and then through apertures  64  in interior portion  56   a  of spine  56 . The prongs of fasteners  60  are then separated from each other and pushed into abutting contact with the surface  62   a  ( FIG. 17 ) of second section  62  of spine  56 . At this point pages 80 are secured within report cover  50 .  
         [0039]     With reference to  FIG. 19 , a plurality of report covers  50 A,  50 B,  50 C,  50 D and  50 E may be secured into a three ring binder  84 . It will be understood that report covers in accordance with the second and third embodiments of the invention may similarly be secured into a binder  84 . Each cover  50 A-E includes an interior portion (not shown) of a spine which allows a plurality of sheets of paper to be secured therein as described above. Each cover  50 A-E also includes an exterior portion  56   b  of a spine which has a plurality of apertures  66  formed therein. The covers  50 A-E are secured into three-ring binder  84  by inserting the binders prongs  86  through apertures  66  in the covers. The prongs  86  are then snapped shut in the customary manner. This allows several covers  50 A-E to be transported within binder  84  and to be individually removable when needed.  
         [0040]     Similarly, as is shown in  FIG. 20 , a plurality of report cover  350 A through  350 E may be inserted into three-ring binder  84 . In this instance, spring clips  368  are pulled from the second position (as shown by clip  368   a  in  FIG. 15 ) to the first position (shown by clips  368   b  in  FIG. 11 ) so that hole a  376  is formed between apex  370  and end wall  380  ( FIGS. 11 &amp; 12 ). Prongs  86  of three-ring binder  84  are inserted through holes  376  in clips  368 . Prongs  86  are then snapped shut to secure the plurality of report covers  350 A through  350 E into binder  84 .  
         [0041]     It will be understood that while the above description has been directed to report covers that have two-prong fasteners  60  in the interior portion  56   a  of spine  56 , the report covers may have an alternative means for securing loose papers  80  into the cover. So, for example, the securing mechanism may be three-prong fasteners or a clamp-type fastener. Furthermore, while the report covers are shown to have three apertures  66  formed in the exterior portion  56   b  of the spine  56 , it will be understood that the cover may include only two apertures or more than three apertures therein. Additionally, the exterior and interior portions of the spine are shown to be made from a fold in the material. The interior and exterior portions may alternatively be made from one or two layers of material connected into the report cover in any suitable manner. Furthermore, it will be understood that the distance to which the exterior portion of the spine extends outwardly from the outer surface of the cover may vary. That distance does, however, have to be sufficient for apertures to be formed in the exterior portion of the spine in positions which allow the apertures to engage the prongs of a ring binder.  
         [0042]     In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.  
         [0043]     Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.