Abstract:
Binders disclosed herein include a front cover, a back cover and a spine interconnecting the front cover and the back cover. The spine includes a means for reducing the width of the spine when the front cover is folded back against the back cover.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/448,983, filed Feb. 21, 2003, and whose entire contents are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Papers and other media have been stored in portfolios, folders, binders, wire-bound notebooks, and the like. Binders, in particular, are a popular choice of storing media due to their ease of use, storage flexibility, and cost effectiveness. Binders are also desirable because papers or other media may be easily inserted and removed from the binders. Furthermore, binders are useful because the stored media may be easily reorganized. While binders are commercially successful and useful, binders may be difficult to use in a confined space. That is, the rigid spine of most prior art binders are typically not designed to have the binder&#39;s front cover folded behind the back cover of the binder to provide a substantially flat surface. Additionally, it is difficult to write on the paper contained within prior art binders when the cover is folded back because the writing surface is uneven due to the paper wrapping around the binder and the rings.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0003]    The exemplary binder embodiments disclosed herein include a collapsible spine that permits the front cover to be wrapped around the back cover to form a substantially flat binder when fully opened. In this fully opened configuration, the binder is space efficient and the substantially flat surfaces of the binder may be utilized as a writing surface. Accordingly, exemplary embodiments of the binder may be used to write in more locations than one would use a typical binder. For example, exemplary binder embodiments may be folded flat and used when writing in one&#39;s lap, when writing against one&#39;s thigh, or when holding the binder in one arm (like a clip board) to write while standing. The exemplary binder embodiments may be made from a plurality of materials such as, but not limited to, polypropylene, fabric covered chipboards, vinyl covered chipboards, or paper covered chipboard.  
           [0004]    According to one exemplary embodiment, the ring binder is composed of a front cover, a back cover and a spine interconnecting the front and back covers. The spine has a width extending from the front cover to the back cover and is associated with a plurality of rings. The binder also includes a means for reducing the width of the spine when the front cover is folded back against the back cover into a fully open, lay-flat configuration. According to one exemplary embodiment, the means for reducing the width of the spine is a longitudinal hinge formed on the spine and a flexible brace positioned on the interior of: the binder.  
           [0005]    In another exemplary embodiment, the ring binder is composed of a front cover, a back cover and a spine interconnecting the front and back covers. The binder includes a central longitudinal hinge on the spine and a ring assembly retention device that allow the front cover to be folded back against the back cover to form a fully open, lay-flat configuration. The binder also includes a ring assembly, which is composed of a plurality of mechanically interconnected rings, that is positioned between the spine and the ring assembly retention device.  
           [0006]    In yet another exemplary embodiment, the ring binder is composed of a front cover, a back cover and a collapsible spine. These components of the ring binder are formed from a vinyl-covered stiffening board. The collapsible spine includes a first and second spine portion that are coupled together by a central longitudinal hinge. Additionally, a ring assembly is pivotally coupled to the first spine portion. Accordingly, the front cover of the ring binder may be folded against the back cover such that the covers lie substantially flat against one another. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one exemplary binder embodiment in a closed position;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the exemplary binder embodiment of FIG. 1 in an open position;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the exemplary binder of FIG. 1 in a wrap-around position;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken alone line  4 - 4 ;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 1;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 taken alone line  6 - 6 ;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another exemplary binder embodiment in a closed position;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 is a plan view of the exemplary binder embodiment of FIG. 7 in an open position;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the binder of FIG. 7 in a wrap-around position;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 8 taken alone line  10 - 10 ;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 11 is a side view of FIG. 7;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 9 taken alone line  12 - 12 ;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 9 taken alone line  13 - 13 ;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 14 is a perspective view of another exemplary binder embodiment in a closed position;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 15 is a plan view of the exemplary binder embodiment of FIG. 14 in an open position;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another exemplary binder embodiment in a closed position;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 17 is a plan view of the exemplary binder embodiment of FIG. 16 in an open position;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 18 is an end view of FIG. 17;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 19 is an end view of FIG. 16;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 20 is an end view of the binder in a wrap-around position; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 21 is cross-sectional view taken alone line  14 - 14  of FIG. 16. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0028]    Generally, exemplary embodiments of a binder  10  includes a first cover  12 , a second cover  14 , a collapsible backbone  18  and a ring assembly  20 . As shown in FIGS.  1 - 21 , the ring assembly  20  is composed of  3  rings. However, other exemplary embodiments are contemplated where the ring assembly  20  may be composed of 2 or more rings. Turning to FIG. 1, the first cover  12  and the second cover  14  are coupled to a collapsible backbone  18  by hinges  11 . In one exemplary embodiment, the collapsible backbone  18  may be a generally planar member composed of two sections  13 ,  15  as shown in FIG. 1. The two sections  13 ,  15  of the collapsible backbone  18  are coupled together by a centered hinge  17 . In alternate exemplary embodiments, the collapsible backbone may be composed of two or more sections.  
         [0029]    As shown in FIG. 1, the hinges  11  may have a curved shape. The curved shape of the hinges  11  minimizes the collapse of the ring assembly and maintains the rigidity of the collapsible backbone  18  when the binder  10  is in a closed position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. More specifically, the curved shape of the hinges  11  imparts stability to the collapsible backbone  18  thereby reducing the amount of flexing (along line  5 ) that may occur when media is secured within the ring assembly  20 . In alternate exemplary embodiments, the hinges  11  may be substantially straight as shown in FIG. 14.  
         [0030]    The centered hinge  17 , which is positioned between the two sections  13 ,  15  of the collapsible backbone  18 , allows the first cover  12  to be folded over the second cover  14  as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. That is, the first cover  12  may be folded onto the second cover  14  such that the covers lie substantially flat against one another while maintaining a substantially flat, rigid backbone that allows the contents of the binder to remain in an organized manner.  
         [0031]    Additionally, as shown in FIG. 1, a ring assembly retention device  16  is flexibly coupled to the collapsible backbone  18 . More specifically, a flange  19  provided at the base of the ring assembly retention device  16  to couple the ring assembly retention device to the collapsible backbone as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8. According to one exemplary embodiment, the flanges  19  may have a curved edge as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 8. In another exemplary embodiment, the flanges  19  may have substantially straight edges as shown in FIG. 15. The flanges  19  of the ring assembly retention device are coupled to side walls. The side walls are coupled together by a spine that spans between the side walls.  
         [0032]    The ring assembly retention device  16  also includes a plurality of slots  21  that are sized to allow the rings of the ring assembly  20  to protrude through the ring assembly retention device. The ring assembly retention device  16  allows the ring assembly  20  be positioned at the end of the binder when the first cover  12  and the second cover  14  are positioned in a fully opened position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6.  
         [0033]    In one exemplary embodiment, the ring assembly retention device  16  is affixed to the inner portion of the collapsible backbone  18  to define a space  27  as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. A ring assembly  20  is positioned within the space  27  between the ring assembly retention device  16  and collapsible backbone  18  as shown in FIGS.  4 - 6 . The space  27  is sized to allow the ring assembly  20  to be pivotable and movable within the space  27 . Accordingly, the ability to move the ring assembly  20  allows for a substantially flat writing surface when the binder  10  is fully opened as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. Additionally, the ability to move the ring assembly  20  allows more media to be stored on one side of the ring assembly  20 .  
         [0034]    In another exemplary embodiment, the ring assembly retention device  16  may be sized to substantially fix the ring assembly  20  between the ring assembly retention device  16  and the collapsible backbone  18  as shown in FIGS.  10 - 12 . By fixing the ring assembly  20  substantially adjacent to the surface of the collapsible backbone  18 , the ring assembly  20  may include ring boosters  28  to open and close the rings. That is, by providing the ring assembly closer to the surface of the collapsible backbone  18 , the leverage required by an individual to open the rings with the ring boosters  28  may be reduced.  
         [0035]    In yet another exemplary embodiment, the ring assembly retention device  16  may be composed of a swing plate  32  that is coupled to both the collapsible backbone  18  and the ring assembly  20  as shown in FIGS.  18 - 20 . The swing plate  32  also includes a hinge  34  that allows the ring assembly  20  to be pivoted. As shown in FIGS.  1 - 20 , the hinge  34  is positioned over the central hinge  17  of the collapsible backbone  18 . Accordingly, the ability to move the ring assembly  20  allows for a substantially flat writing surface and allows the ring assembly to hold a larger amounts of media within the ring assembly  20 . Additionally, the ring assembly coupled to the swing plate would allow any binder, which uses a standard loose-leaf style ring assembly, be capable of folding back on itself to make the surface more writable.  
         [0036]    According to the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIGS.  1 - 16 , the first cover  12 , the second cover  14  and the collapsible backbone  18  may be made of plastic material such as, but not limited to, polypropylene. In an alternate exemplary embodiment, it is also contemplated that these components may be made of other rigid plastic materials. In exemplary embodiment depicted in FIGS.  16 - 21 , the first cover  12 , the second cover  14  and the collapsible backbone  18  are made of cardboard chipboard enveloped by vinyl sheeting as shown in FIG. 21. In other exemplary embodiments, the binder may be made from materials such as, but not limited to, fabric covered chipboards, polypropylene covered chipboards, or paper covered chipboards.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 8 illustrates another exemplary binder embodiment wherein the first cover  12  and the second cover  14  also include panels  22 ,  24  that may be affixed to the inner surfaces of the first and second covers. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 13, the panels may be affixed to the covers by rivet-shaped heat seals  30 . The heat seals  30  are positioned around the periphery of the panels so as to allow the storage of papers or other media in the space between the panels  22 ,  24  and the covers  12 ,  14 . As shown in FIGS.  7 - 12 , the binder includes the ring assembly retention device  16  that keeps the ring assembly  20  relatively close to the surface of the collapsible backbone  18 .  
         [0038]    FIGS.  16 - 21  illustrates yet another exemplary binder embodiment wherein the walls of the binder are composed of a vinyl-cardboard-vinyl sandwich. That is, a cardboard base  40  or other paper-based material is enveloped by a vinyl sheeting  42  as shown in FIG. 21. The vinyl sheeting  42  is then heat sealed along the seams  44  to envelope the cardboard base  40 . The hinges  46  between the covers and the collapsible backbone are spaces where there is no cardboard base and the vinyl sheeting  42  is heat sealed together. This exemplary binder embodiment may utilize a standard ring assembly that is coupled to the collapsible backbone by a swing arm  34 .  
         [0039]    Additional objects and advantages of the exemplary binder embodiments will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art. The exemplary embodiments are shown and described, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated of carrying out these exemplary embodiments. It is also contemplated that the exemplary embodiments are capable of modification in various respects, all without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosed exemplary embodiments described herein. Accordingly, the drawings and description are illustrative and not intended to be a limitation thereof.