Patent Publication Number: US-4648515-A

Title: Looseleaf binder holder

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to storage racks, and more specifically to a portable, collapsible looseleaf binder holder for storing looseleaf binders. 
     The difficulty of storing looseleaf binders in a readily accessible upright position upon a desk or table is well known. Unless packed tightly next to each other, they may fall over and thus they are obliged to be kept piled one on top of another. This situation is, accordingly in need of an improvement. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore a principle object of the present invention to provide a holder for supporting looseleaf binders in an upright stored position upon a desk or table. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a looseleaf binder holder which is collapsible, so as to be easily and quickly erected on a desk or table without the necessity of permanent securement to the desk, and which is easily dissassembled to be readily portable for removal and erection elsewhere. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a looseleaf binder holder which is particularly useful upon a library tables, school desks, and office desks or tables. 
     A further object of this invention is to provide a looseleaf binder holder which is easy and efficient in use, simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, and rugged in construction. 
     These and other objects of the invention will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the present looseleaf binder holder shown in use. 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the looseleaf binder holder. 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the looseleaf binder holder taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown a preferred looseleaf binder holder 10, in accordance with the present invention. The holder 10 comprises a collapsible rack or frame 11 having a plurality of removable dividers 12 slidably received thereon to serve as supporting partitions for receiving and supporting looseleaf binders 13 in an upright position in the holder. 
     The rack or frame 11 comprises a pair of opposed end members 14, attached to each lateral end of a rectangular plate or expansion member 15 centrally disposed therebetween. The end members 14 are removably attached to the expansion member by fasteners 16, such as a short bolt 17 fitted with a cap nut 18. The end members 14 and the expansion member 15 are preferably made of a rigid plastic material, in order be produced inexpensively in mass production and in various colors to suit any room decor. The plastic material also allows the holder 10 to be easily cleaned and gives an attractive appearance. 
     Each end member 14 is generally angular in shape having a flat rectangular side portion 19 and an adjoining flat rectangular rear portion 20. A pair of vertically spaced holes 21 are provided near the side edge of the rear portion 20 of each end member 14 and another pair of vertically spaced holes 22 are provided near each lateral side edge of the expansion member 15 in alignment with the holes 21 of the end members 14. The bolts 17 are received through the holes 21 and 22 and cap nuts 18 are threaded thereon to secure the end members to the expansion member 15 to form an elongated rear wall. It should be understood that the expansion member 15 may be made expandible in length. 
     Each of the dividers 12 is preferably molded of the same rigid plastic material as the expansion member 15 and the end members 14. Each divider 12 consists of a flat V-shaped member having two leg portions 23 converging at one end at the apex 24 and the opposed diverging ends 24 are each provided with a hook 26 depending from the upper corner thereof. The hook 26 is slidably received on the top edge of the expansion member 15 and end members 14. The divider legs 23 may flex laterally sufficient to accomodate looseleaf binders of various shape according to their fill of pages. 
     While the present looseleaf binder holder is not limited to any particular dimensions, a suggested practical size for the end members 14 is six in height with the rear portion 20 three and one-half inches long and the side portion 19 ten inches long. A practical size for the expansion member 15 is six inches in height and eight inches long. A suggested size for each V-shaped divider 12 would be two inches in height and ten inches long with a distance of two inches between the hooks 26. 
     The looseleaf binder holder may be sold in an unassembled or &#34;knock-down&#34; condition as a kit of parts to be assembled by the purchaser, and may include three or more dividers. 
     In use, the side members 14 are placed with the rear portions 20 overlapping the lateral side edges of the expansion member 15 with the holes 21 and 22 in alignment. The bolts 17 are inserted through the holes, and the side members 14 are secured to the expansion member 15 threading the cap nuts 18 onto the bolts 17. The dividers 12 are simply hooked over the rear top edge of the assembled frame 11, so as to form the spaces 27, into which the looseleaf binders 13 are fitted. By sliding the dividers 12 laterally on the frame, the width of the spaces may be adjusted to accomodate the thickness of the binders. The divider legs 23 may flex laterally sufficient to accomodate looseleaf binders of various shape according to their fill of pages. 
     While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.