Patent Publication Number: US-6217247-B1

Title: Ring binder mechanism

Description:
This invention relates to a ring binder mechanism and, in particular, such a mechanism which may be secured to a base member, e.g. a cardboard cover, to form a ring binder for retaining loose-leaf paper. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In conventional ring binders, the ring binder mechanism, i.e. the loose-leaf retaining device, is secured to a base member. The ring binder mechanism includes an elongate body portion comprising a curved upper casing supporting a pair of plates, and two rivets engaged with the upper casing, so as to prevent relative movement between the rivets and the upper casing. In particular, the rivet includes a post whose free end is deformable to engage with the upper casing. The plates are pivotable to selectively open or close several pairs of half-rings. The rivets may also be secured to the base member. The ring binder mechanism may thus be secured to the base member via the rivets, whereby relative movement between the ring binder mechanism and the base member is prevented. 
     Various ways have been proposed to enhance the engagement between the rivets and the upper casing, and thus the body portion, of the ring binder mechanism, so as to enhance the durability of the ring binder. It has, for example, been proposed to deform the free end of the post of the rivet such that it engages with both the upper surface and the lower surface of the upper casing. However, the force for effecting such an engagement between the post of the rivet and the upper casing will be relatively large, and may cause undesirable deformations at certain other locations of the rivet, e.g. the post. 
     It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a ring binder mechanism, and a ring binder, in which the above 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 mechanism including an upper structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which at least one pair of half-ring members are mounted, wherein the lower structure is pivotable between a first configuration in which the pair(s) of half-ring members are closed, and a second configuration in which the pair(s) of half-ring members are open, wherein said ring binder mechanism is adapted to be secured to a base member via at least one securing member, wherein said securing member includes a plate member with a first major surface from which at least a post member extends, wherein said post member includes an end deformed to engage with said upper structure via an intermediate member, wherein said intermediate member includes a first end which abuts said first major surface of said plate member and wherein at least one support member is positioned between said upper structure and said first major surface of said plate member. 
     According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ring binder mechanism including an upper structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which at least one pair of half ring members are mounted, wherein the lower structure is pivotable between a first configuration in which said at least one pair of half ring members are closed, and a second configuration in which said at least one pair of half ring members are open, wherein said ring binder mechanism is adapted to be secured to a base member via at least one securing member, wherein said securing member includes a plate member with a first major surface from which at least a post member extends, wherein said post member includes an end deformed to engage with said upper structure via an intermediate member, wherein said intermediate member includes a second end which engages with said upper structure, and wherein at least one support member is positioned between said upper structure and said plate member. 
     According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a ring binder mechanism including an upper structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which at least one pair of half ring members are mounted, wherein the lower structure is pivotable between a first configuration in which said at least one pair of half ring members are closed, and a second configuration in which said at least one pair of half ring members are open, wherein said ring binder mechanism is adapted to be secured to a base member via at least one securing member, wherein said securing member includes a plate member with a first major surface from which at least a post member extends, wherein said post member includes an end deformed to engage with said upper structure via an intermediate member, wherein at least part of said intermediate member is received through an aperture of said upper structure, and wherein at least one support member is positioned between said upper structure and said plate member. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a ring binder mechanism including an upper structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which at least one pair of half ring members are mounted, wherein the lower structure is pivotable between a first configuration in which said at least one pair of half ring members are closed, and a second configuration in which said at least one pair of half ring members are open, wherein said ring binder mechanism is adapted to be secured to a base member via at least one securing member, wherein said securing member includes a plate member with a first major surface from which at least a post member extends, wherein said post member includes an end deformed to engage with said upper structure via an intermediate member, and wherein at least one support member is positioned between said upper structure and said plate member, wherein said support member is engaged with said securing member via said intermediate member. 
     According to a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided a ring binder mechanism including an upper structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which at least one pair of half ring members are mounted, wherein the lower structure is pivotable between a first configuration in which said at least one pair of half ring members are closed, and a second configuration in which said at least one pair of half ring members are open, wherein said ring binder mechanism is adapted to be secured to a base member via at least one securing member, wherein said securing member includes a plate member with a first major surface from which at least a post member extends, wherein said post member includes an end deformed to engage with said upper structure via an intermediate member, wherein at least one support member is positioned between said upper structure and said plate member, and wherein said support member includes a first end which abuts said upper structure. 
     According to a sixth aspect of this invention there is provided a ring binder mechanism including an upper structure supporting a pivotable lower structure to which at least one pair of half ring members are mounted, wherein the lower structure is pivotable between a first configuration in which said at least one pair of half ring members are closed, and a second configuration in which said at least one pair of half ring members are open, wherein said ring binder mechanism is adapted to be secured to a base member via at least one securing member, wherein said securing member includes a plate member with a first major surface from which at least a post member extends, wherein said post member includes an end deformed to engage with said upper structure via an intermediate member, wherein at least one support member is positioned between said upper structure and said plate member, and wherein said support member includes an internal surface at least part of which surrounds at least part of an outer surface of said intermediate member. 
     According to further aspects of the invention there are provided ring binders including ring binder mechanisms of any of the six aspects of the invention listed above secured to a base member. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of an example only, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a ring binder mechanism according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the ring binder mechanism shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the ring binder mechanism shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4A is a longitudinal sectional view of the sleeve shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 4B is a top perspective view of the sleeve shown in FIG. 4A; 
     FIG. 5A is a longitudinal sectional view of the bushing shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5B is a top perspective view of the bushing shown in FIG. 5A; 
     FIG. 6A is a longitudinal sectional view of the rivet shown in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 6B is a top perspective view of the rivet shown in FIG. 6A; 
     FIG. 6C is a bottom perspective view of the rivet shown in FIG. 6A; 
     FIG. 7A is an exploded transverse sectional view of the ring binder mechanism shown in FIG. 1 in which the sleeve, the bushing and the rivet are not assembled with the upper casing; 
     FIG. 7B is an exploded transverse sectional view of the ring binder mechanism shown in FIG. 1 in which the sleeve and the bushing are assembled with, but not secured to, the upper casing; 
     FIG. 7C is an exploded transverse sectional view of the ring binder mechanism shown in FIG. 1 in which the sleeve and the bushing are secured to the upper casing; 
     FIG. 7D is a transverse sectional view of the ring binder mechanism shown in FIG. 1 in which the rivet is assembled with, but not secured to the upper casing; 
     FIG. 7E is a transverse sectional view of the ring binder mechanism shown in FIG. 1 in which the sleeve, the bushing and the rivet are secured to the upper casing, and the ring binder mechanism is shown as secured to a base member; 
     FIG. 8A is a sectional exploded top perspective view of the ring binder mechanism shown in FIG. 1 in which the sleeve, the bushing and the rivet are not assembled with the upper casing; and 
     FIG. 8B is a sectional top perspective view of the ring binder mechanism shown in FIG. 1 in which the sleeve, the bushing and the rivet are secured to the upper casing. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A ring binder mechanism according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to  3 , and generally designated as  10 . The ring binder mechanism  10  includes a curved upper casing  12  supporting a pair of plates  14 , to which three pairs of half-rings  16  are mounted. At each longitudinal end of the ring binder mechanism  10  is a lever  18  which may be manually operated to selectively pivot the plates  14 , and thereby to selectively open or close the half-rings  16 . The ring binder mechanism  10  also includes two rivets  20 , two bushings  22  and two sleeves  24 , the function and structure of which will be discussed below. 
     Turning to FIGS. 4A and 4B, such show respectively a longitudinal sectional view and a top perspective view of the sleeves  24  shown in FIG.  3 . The sleeve  24  is in the shape of a small tube with a circular wall  29  defining a central channel  30 . As to FIGS. 5A and 5B, such show respectively a longitudinal sectional view and a top perspective view of the bushing  22  shown in FIG.  3 . The bushing  22  includes a body portion  32  and a base portion  34 . The body portion  32  is in the form of a post with a central through-hole  36 . As to the base portion  34 , such is formed in one piece with the body portion  32 . It can be clearly seen that the diameter of the base portion  34  is wider than the diameter of the post  32 , so that the bushing  22  can stand stably on the base portion  34 . 
     Turning to FIGS. 6A to  6 C, such show respectively a longitudinal sectional view, a top perspective view and a bottom perspective view of the rivet  20  shown in FIG.  3 . The rivet  20  includes a post member  38  integrally formed with an anchor plate  40 . The post member  38  extends from an upper surface  42  of the rivet  20 , while six prongs  44  extend from a lower surface  46  of the rivet  20 . For the purpose of enhancing the strength of the anchor plate  40 , two parallel ridges  48  are provided on the upper surface  42  of the rivet anchor plate  40  of the rivet  20 . Turning to the post member  38 , it can be seen that such includes a circular wall  50  defining a central through-hole  52 . 
     FIGS. 7A to  7 E,  8 A and  8 B show the manner in which a ring binder according to the present invention is constructed. As can be seen in FIGS. 7A and 8A, the external diameter of the post  32  of the bushing  22  is the same as or slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the channel  30  of the sleeve  24 . Similarly, the external diameter of the post member  38  of the rivet  20  is the same as or slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the central through-hole  36  of the bushing  22 . By way of such an arrangement, the post  32  of the bushing  22  can be received within the channel  30  of the sleeve  24  (as shown in FIG.  7 B), and the post member  38  of the rivet  20  can be received within the central through-hole  36  of the bushing  22 . 
     Turning to FIG. 7B, such shows the post  32  of the bushing  22  as being received through an aperture  54  on a recessed portion  56  on the upper casing  12 , shown more clearly in FIGS. 1,  3 ,  7 A and  8 A. The sleeve  24  is positioned between and abuts the lower surface of the recessed portion  56  and the base portion  34  of the bushing  22 . The upper open end of the post  32  of the bushing  22  is then deformed, e.g. by punching, so as to engage with the upper surface of the recessed portion  56  on the upper casing  12 . During the punching action, the sleeve  24  acts as a support to enhance better and proper deformation of the upper open end of the post  32  of the bushing  22 . The bushing  22  and the sleeve  24  are thus secured to the upper casing  12 , as shown in FIG.  7 C. 
     Turning now to FIG. 7D, the post member  38  of the rivet  20  is shown as being received within the central through-hole  36  of the bushing  22 . In particular, the post member  38  of the rivet  20  also extends through the aperture  54  of the recessed portion  56  of the upper casing  12 . The upper open end of the post member  38  of the rivet  20  is then deformed, e.g. by punching, so as to engage indirectly with the upper surface of the recessed portion  56  of the upper casing  12  and via the deformed upper end of the bushing  22 . During the punching action, the sleeve  24  acts as a support to enhance better and proper deformation of the upper open end of the post member  38  of the rivet  20 . The rivet  20 , the bushing  22  and the sleeve  24  are thus secured to the upper casing  12 , as shown in FIGS. 7E and 8B. 
     As shown in FIG. 7E, the prongs  44  of the rivet  20  are driven into a base, e.g. a cardboard cover  60 , so as to secure the rivet  20 , and thus the ring binder mechanism  10 , against any movement relative to the cover  60 . A ring binder according to the present invention is thus constructed. 
     While a preferred embodiment of a ring binder mechanism according to the present invention is discussed above, it should of course be understood that various modifications and alterations may be made to this example without departing from the spirit of the present invention.