Patent Publication Number: US-10773541-B2

Title: Media binder arrangement and a method of manufacturing a media binder

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a spine clamp binder for a quick binding technique of separate sheets into booklets/folders by bending the sides of the binder backwards for the binder to open. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,798,736 and 7,922,207 each discloses a media binder arrangement having a cover with a front planar surface and a back planar surface connected by a spine planar surface. The spine planar surface includes several spine clamps each of which provides a closing force strong enough to hold a bundle of paper sheets. The clamps can be opened by a tension sheet attached to the spine clamp as well as to the cover of the media binder. When the cover is opened more than 270°, an opening force is transmitted to the spine clamps by the tension sheet. Each spine clamp is designed with planar side surfaces angled towards each other at the top of the spine clamp and connected to each other at the bottom by a planar clamp spine part. These patents also discloses that the media binders are provided with a datum spacer provided with a datum stop arranged perpendicular to and at one end of the datum spacer. 
     The U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,358 discloses sheet retention mechanisms for spring clamp binders having a spacer as a datum bar with a set of holes passing through the spacer and that each of the holes is aligned with holes in the spring clamp so that rivets or the like connects the spring clamp and the spacer. The spring clamps are provided with flat side surfaces which are closed at the top but can be opened against the spring force by a tension system. 
     In each of the previously known patents disadvantages occur in that they provide their tension sheet attached to the spring clamp by gluing, folding or riveting. These methods of attachments are time consuming and expensive. 
     THE OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a new spine clamp for a spine clamp binder which spine clamp makes it possible to produce a spine clamp binder faster and less expensive than before. 
     The object of the invention is also to provide a new production method for a spine clamp binder using such new spine clamps. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     By the present invention, as this is seen in the independent claims, the above-mentioned objects are met, said disadvantages having been eliminated. Suitable embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims. 
     The invention relates to a media binder arrangement comprising a cover with a front, a back and a spine extending along a spine axis. 
     The arrangement comprises at least one spring clamp attached to the spine and which spring clamp having a first side with a first clamping side edge and a second side with second clamping side edge. The side edges exerting a spring force towards each other in an activated position. The sides of the spring clamp are joined together at a distance from the side edges with a clamp base thereby defining an interior cavity in the spring clamp. Each side of the spring clamp having an acute angle towards the clamp base. A tension sheet is mounted inside the cavity and protruding out from the cavity next to each of the respective side edges and firmly attached to the cover. A datum spacer is mounted inside the cavity holding the tension sheet towards the clamp base of the spring clamp wherein the interior cavity of said spring clamp additionally is formed with a datum spacer cavity having spacer walls limited from the sides of the spring clamp by a bending. The spacer walls are having wall surfaces facing the clamp base for holding the datum spacer in abutment with the clamp base. These spacer walls are formed in the respective side edges of the spring clamp at a bending in, the side edges. The datum spacer cavity is thus formed and delimited from the rest of the interior cavity by these bendings. 
     In an embodiment of the invention the clamp base has a flat surface. 
     In an embodiment of the invention the wall surfaces of said spacer walls are parallel with the surface of the clamp base. This embodiment provides for a rectangular datum spacer cavity. 
     In an embodiment of the invention the wall surfaces of said spacer walls each having an acute angle towards the surface of the clamp base. This provides for a clamping force for holding a bundle of papers. The more acute angle towards the clamp base the larger clamping force of a given spring clamp properties. 
     In an embodiment of the invention the said acute angles of the spacer wall surfaces each are different from the angles between the sides and the clamp base respectively. This means that an acute angle between a spacer wall and the clamp base is different from an acute angle between side wall and the clamp base. This provides for a datum spacer cavity of another form than the purely rectangular form. 
     In an embodiment of the invention a perpendicular projection of the spacer walls towards the clamp base covers from 20% to 60% of the clamp base surface. This determines the coverage of the datum spacer by the spacer cavity. 
     In an embodiment of the invention the said projection covers 30% to 40% of the clamp base surface. 
     In an embodiment of the invention the said projection covers 35% of the clamp base surface. 
     In an embodiment of the invention the datum spacer is provided as an elongate ruler having a rectangular cross section. 
     In an embodiment of the invention the elongate ruler in one end is provided with a datum stop extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the ruler. This datum stop provides for an alignment of the bundle of papers in a second direction perpendicular to the clamp base. 
     The invention also covers a method of manufacturing such a media binder arrangement having at least one spring clamp with an interior cavity and with an additionally datum spacer cavity designed to hold a datum spacer. A tension sheet is attached to a datum spacer and then the tension sheet together with the datum spacer is inserted longitudinally into the datum spacer cavity in the spring clamp for holding the tension sheet in the datum spacer cavity of the spring clamp. Then the tension sheet is attached to a front and a back of a binder cover and at the same time the spring clamp is positioned in a spine position of the binder cover. 
     In an embodiment of the method the tension sheet is glued to the inside of the binder cover. 
     An embodiment of the method of manufacturing a media binder have the following steps:
     Step 1: Form the metal spring to the described shape.   Step 2: Attach a liner to the plastic bar.   Step 3: Insert plastic bar and the liner into the metal spring.   Step 4: Glue the liner to the inside of the book cover.   

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Now, the invention will be described in more detail, references being made in connection with the accompanying drawing figures. The drawing figures show only explanatory sketches intended to facilitate the understanding of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  shows a section of first embodiment of a spring clamp mechanism in a media binder arrangement according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows a section of a second embodiment of a spring clamp according to the invention. 
         FIG. 3  shows a section of a third embodiment of a spring clamp according to the invention. 
         FIG. 4  shows a section of a fourth embodiment of a spring clamp according to the invention. 
         FIG. 5  shows a section of a fifth embodiment of a spring clamp according to the invention. 
         FIG. 6  shows mounting of a datum spacer into a spring clamp according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  shows mounting of a datum spacer of a second embodiment into a spring clamp according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic cross sectional view of the spine region of a media binder arrangement  10 . Parts of the arrangement is disclosed with dashed lines for illustrative purposes of the elongated binder arrangement. In the disclosed section the arrangement  10  comprises a cover  11  with a front part  12 , a back part  13  and a spine part  14 . All of these parts extends in a direction parallel to a spine axis  141  up to the actual dimension of the media binder product as is illustrated by the dashed lines in the figure. The media binder arrangement  10  is provided with a spring clamp  15  of a first embodiment which spring clamp is attached to the spine part  14  of the binder. Inside the spring clamp  15  a tension sheet  20  is applied and which tension sheet has a first side part  201  and a second side part  202 . Each of these side parts of the tension sheet  20  is firmly connected to the front part  12  and to the back part  13  of the cover respectively. The connection is made so that when bending the front part  12  of the cover and the back part  13  of the cover backwards as indicated by the arrows against its closing spring force the spring clamp  15  will open. When the front part of the cover and the back part of the cover are released from its “backbending” the spring clamp will close with a certain amount of spring force. The spring clamp is disclosed in the figure in a half open position. 
     With such an arrangement of a spring clamp media binder, it is possible to icy collect a bundle of papers aligned in a binding position only by bending the binder backwards and thereafter let the binder close by its spring clamp. 
     The spring clamp  15  is provided with a first side  16  with a first clamping side edge  161  and a second side  17  with second clamping side edge  171 . Each side edge  161 ,  171  is preferably curved outwards in order to provide a smooth surface onto which the tension sheet  20  abuts. The side edges  161 ,  171  are exerting a spring force towards each other in an activated position in order to press a bundle of papers together in the media binder arrangement  10 . The sides  16 ,  17  of the media binder connects the side edges  161 ,  171  with a clamp base  18  at a distance from the side edges thereby defining an interior cavity  19  in the spring clamp  15 . The tension sheet  20  is mounted inside the cavity  19  and is protruding out from the cavity  19  next to each of the respective side edges  161 ,  171  and is firmly attached to the cover  11 . 
     Each side  16 ,  17  of the spring clamp  15  having an acute angle towards the clamp base  18  in an inactivated position. The interior cavity  19  at the bottom of the spring clamp  15  is designed with a spacer cavity  35 . This spacer cavity is in  FIG. 1  formed as a cavity with a rectangular shape having rounded corners with 90° angles between neighbouring sides. However other shapes can be chosen, for example elliptical shapes or rectangular shapes that have curved corners. The purpose of the spacer cavity is to hold a datum spacer  30  together with a tension sheet  20  in the spacer cavity. Thus, the datum spacer  30  is mounted inside the cavity  19  holding the tension sheet  20  towards the clamp base  18  of the spring clamp  15 . 
     For this purpose the spacer cavity  35  is provided with spacer walls  36 ,  37  which wall surfaces are facing the clamp base  18  for holding the datum spacer  30  in abutment with the clamp base  18  even when the binder and thus the spring clamp is opened. The spacer walls  36 ,  37  of the spring clamp covers an inner side surface  21  of the datum spacer with 15-25% of the total inner side surface  21 , preferably 20%. 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic cross sectional view of a second embodiment of a spring clamp  152  covering a datum spacer  301  schematically illustrated by dashed lines. This spring clamp  152  is provided with a spacer cavity  351  having, compared to the first embodiment, larger spacer cavity walls  361 ,  371  which covers an inner side surface  211  of the datum spacer with 25-75% of the total inner side surface  211 , preferably 55%, when the spacer cavity walls are projected perpendicular towards the inner side surface  211  of the datum spacer  301 . In this embodiment the datum spacer  301  is designed similar to the datum spacer  30  disclosed in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic cross sectional view of a third embodiment of a spring clamp  153  enclosing a datum spacer  302  in a spacer cavity  352  where the datum spacer is schematically illustrated by dashed lines in the figure. In this embodiment the inner side surface  212  of the datum spacer  302  is divided into three surfaces consisting of a middle surface and two sloping side surfaces. In this embodiment the spacer cavity side surfaces  362 ,  372  of the spring clamp  153  are parallel with the sloping side surfaces of the datum spacer  302 . The spacer cavity walls  362 ,  372  covers the whole of the sloping side surfaces of the datum spacer when the spacer cavity walls are projected perpendicular towards the sloping side surfaces of the datum spacer  302 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a schematic cross sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a spring clamp  154  enclosing a datum spacer  303  in a spacer cavity  353  where the datum spacer is schematically illustrated by dashed lines in the figure. The cross sectional form of the datum spacer  303  is ellipsoidal. The surfaces of the spacer cavity  353  facing the datum spacer  303  is illustrated in the figure as flat surfaces, however these datum spacer facing surfaces can also be corresponding ellipsoidal in another embodiment. Moreover, the outer surface of the spring clamp is in this embodiment provided with a central bending  401 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a schematic cross sectional view of a fifth embodiment of a spring clamp  155  enclosing a datum spacer  304  in a spacer cavity  354  where the datum spacer is schematically illustrated by dashed lines in the figure. The cross sectional form of the datum spacer  304  is in this embodiment mainly ellipsoidal. However, a centre region of the inner surface  214  of the datum spacer is provided with an indentation of the ellipsoidal shape either as a flat surface or as a concave surface as in the figure. The surfaces of the spacer cavity  354  facing the datum spacer  304  is illustrated in the figure as flat surfaces, however these datum spacer facing surfaces can also be corresponding ellipsoidal to the datum spacer in another embodiment. 
     The clamp base disclosed in the embodiments might as alternative embodiments be designed concave with an inward protruding curve. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a method of manufacturing a media binder arrangement  10 . The media binder arrangement is provided with at least one spring clamp  15  having an interior cavity  19  designed with a datum spacer cavity  35 . The datum spacer cavity  35  is formed with two spacer walls  36 ,  37  for holding a datum spacer  30 . 
     A tension sheet  20  is attached to the datum spacer  30  so that both the tensioning sheet  20  and the datum spacer can be mounted into the spring clamp in a longitudinal motion illustrated by the arrow in the figure. For illustrative purposes the datum spacer ii  FIG. 6  is shown longer that the tensioning sheet. Normally the tensioning sheet and the datum spacer are levelled with each other so that they can be longitudinally displaced into position simultaneously. 
     Thus, the tension sheet  20  together with the datum spacer  30  is inserted longitudinally into the datum spacer cavity  35  in the spring clamp  15  for holding the tension sheet in the datum spacer cavity  35 . Preferably this mounting of the tensioning sheet and the datum spacer is being made while the spring clamp is forced towards opening. 
     When the tensioning sheet and the datum spacer is in a correct position, which means levelled with the spring clamp, the tension sheet  20  is attached to a front  12  and a back  13  of a binder cover  11 . At the same time the spring clamp  15  is positioned in a spine position of the binder cover  11 . Preferably the tension sheet  20  is glued to the inside of the binder cover  11 . 
     In the disclosed  FIGS. 1-6  one purpose of the datum spacer is to align the inner side of a bundle of papers towards the surface of the datum spacer. 
       FIG. 7  discloses a mounting procedure identical to the one disclosed in  FIG. 6  but with another type of datum spacer  71 . This datum spacer is provided with a first side  72  similar to the datum spacers previously disclosed. However this datum spacer also have an end surface  73  extending perpendicular from the first side  72 . The purpose of this end surface  73  is to also align the bundle of papers in a perpendicular direction. The longitudinal mounting described in  FIG. 6  is however the same for this embodiment and illustrated by the arrow. 
     In all the disclosed embodiments the common design factor is that the spring clamp is designed with a clearly defined datum spacer cavity.