Patent Publication Number: US-2004042844-A1

Title: Binder with indexing extension

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] The present invention relates to a binder for use in a filing system. More particularly, the invention relates to a ring binder configured to receive indexing indicia that is visible when the binder is among others on a shelf.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] Filing systems, such as those commonly used in medical offices, include a plurality of folders with patient or other information. The folders have a tab that protrudes to receive a sticker that is part of an indexing system to help identify the folders, such as by the last name of the patient or by other criteria. Some of these folders include a flexible metal strip with two free ends to insert through holes in a stack of paper to hold the stack in the folder when the strip ends are bent against the stack.  
       [0003] Ring binders are known with a ring binding mechanism in which rings open and close to bind a stack of paper within a cover. These binders typically have sides of equal length. When placed among other binders on a shelf, they are usually stood on their lower edges and identified by indicia disposed directly on their spine.  
       [0004] A ring binder is needed that can be placed on a shelf in another position or used in conjunction with folders of a filing system and still be easily identified, such as part of an indexing system.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005] The present invention relates to a ring binder for a filing system. A preferred embodiment of an inventive ring binder has a cover with a plurality of cover panels that are pivotally connected together for pivoting between open and closed cover positions. The cover and its panels define an interior binder space between the cover panels in the closed cover position.  
       [0006] A ring binding member is attached with the cover and has rings that are movable between an open binder position, configured for receiving and releasing pages, and a closed binder position, configured for binding and holding the pages inside the binder when the cover is closed. The ring binding member is preferably accessible in the open cover position.  
       [0007] A first cover panel includes an indexing extension that extends beyond the cover panels that are disposed opposite thereto in the closed cover position by a first distance sufficient for displaying indexing indicia thereon visible from opposite sides of the first cover panel in the closed cover position. This distance also allows the indicia to be viewed when the binder is disposed on a shelf substantially aligned with a plurality of other binders.  
       [0008] A second panel is disposed opposite the first panel in the closed position. Preferably, a spine is disposed between and pivotally connecting the first and second panels. The binding member can be attached to the spine or to other cover panels. Preferably, the binding member is disposed between and covered by the cover panels in the closed position. A second binding member is preferably attached to the cover and configured for attaching papers thereto.  
       [0009] The first cover panel preferably has a first main portion from which the indexing extension extends in a first direction. The first main portion overlaps another panel of the cover in the closed position. The indexing extension is preferably narrower than the first main portion in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The width of the indexing extension is preferably less than about 95% of the width of the first main portion along the second direction.  
       [0010] The indexing extension is also preferably at most about a quarter as long as the first main portion in the first direction. More preferably, the indexing extension about between 5% and 15% as long as the first main portion in the first direction. The binder has a binder length in a first direction, and the indexing extension preferably extends beyond the second cover in the first direction by at most about a fifth of the binder length. In the preferred embodiments, the indexing extension extends beyond all of the remaining cover panels in the closed cover position in the direction of the first distance.  
       [0011] One embodiment of the binder has a panel with a recessed edge in the first direction, preferably measured parallel to the spine and hinges. This recessed edge permits increased the size of and permits viewing of a larger area of the indexing extension, while permitting the cover panel with the recess to retain more material where it does not oppose the indexing extension in the closed cover position.  
       [0012] The present invention provides a visual file indexing system that can be employed with the convenience of ring binders. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a ring binder constructed according to the present invention;  
     [0014]FIG. 2 is a front view thereof in an open cover position; and  
     [0015]FIG. 3 is a front view of another embodiment of the invention in an open cover position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of a ring binder  10  has a cover  12 . The cover  12  includes a plurality of cover panels, such as front panel  14 , rear panel  16 , and spine panel  18 . Each other these panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  may include additional panels. In the preferred embodiments, front panel  14  is disposed opposite the back panel  18  in the closed cover position, with the spine panel  18  disposed between and pivotally connecting the front and back panels  14 ,  16 .  
     [0017] The cover panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  are preferably pivotally connected together by a series of hinges  20  for pivoting between open and closed cover positions. The hinges  20  can comprise one or more score lines or weakened likes between the cover panels  14 ,  16 ,  18 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In other embodiments, other types of hinges can be used, such as areas that are flexible continuations of the cover panels. The spine, for example, can include a continuously curving hinge area.  
     [0018] The cover panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  can be pivoted to a closed cover position, shown in FIG. 1, in which the cover panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  define and substantially enclose an interior binder space  22  between the cover panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  and within the cover  12 . The panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  are also pivotable to an open position shown in FIG. 2, exposing the contents of the binder  10 . The preferred panels have one or more pockets  21 , preferably on the interior side thereof.  
     [0019] The spine  18  preferably has a lateral width that is substantially less than that of the front and back panels  14 ,  16 . Preferably, the spine lateral width  45  is at most about 25% of the lateral widths  47 ,  48  of the front and back cover panels  14 ,  16 , and more preferably at most about 20%. The spine lateral width is preferably at least about 10% and more preferably at least about 15% as wide as the front and back cover panels  14 ,  16 .  
     [0020] A ring binding member or mechanism  24  is attached with the cover  12  to bind a stack of paper  23  within the interior space  22 . The ring binding mechanism  24  includes rings  26  that can be opened and closed to receive and release or hold the stack or individual papers. The embodiment shown ins a three-ring binding mechanism with rings that toggle open and closed. Other embodiments have different ring configurations and numbers of rings. For instance, two or four or more rings may be used.  
     [0021] In the closed binder position, the ring binding mechanism  24  holds the stack in a position preferably within the cover  12 , when it is closed. The ring binding  24  mechanism can have one or more controls, such as a button or lever  26 , to facilitate opening sand closing. The ring binding mechanism  24  and any of its controls are preferably accessible to the user when the cover  12  is in the open position for inserting, removing, and viewing pages from the stack. Different opening and closing mechanisms may be employed for operating and controlling the position of the rings. The cover  12  and ring binding mechanism  24  are preferably configured to contain papers of standard sizes, such as letter size, legal size, or A3 or A4 size.  
     [0022] The ring binding mechanism  24  preferably has a base  28  that is fixed or otherwise attached to the cover  12 . In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the base  28  is attached by rivets  30 , although other attachments as known in the art for ring binders can be employed. Also, base  24  is attached to and parallel to the spine panel  18  and its hinges  20 , but may alternatively be attached to another of the cover panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  and in another orientation. One such position is attached to the front or back panel  14 ,  16  near and parallel to the spine  18 . The preferred ring binding mechanism has a length extending along more than about 75% of the length in a parallel direction of the spine panel  18  or other panel to which it is attached or adjacent to the panel to which it is attached. The ring binding mechanism  24  is preferably disposed between and covered by the cover panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  in the closed cover position.  
     [0023] Back panel  16  of the cover  12  includes a main portion  36  and an indexing extension  32 , such as an indexing tab, that extends therefrom in a first direction  38 , preferably making the back panel  16  longitudinally the longest of the panels and the one that extends farthest in the first direction  38 . The main portion  36  and indexing extension  32  preferably have a connection free from a hinge. Most preferably, there is no hinge between the main portion  36  and the indexing extension  32 . The main portion  36  overlaps another cover panel, such as the front panel  14 , in the closed cover position.  
     [0024] The indexing extension  32  extends beyond the front panel  14 , which is disposed opposite to back panel  16  in the closed cover position, by a first distance  34 . This first distance  34  is selected so that it is sufficient for receiving indexing indicia visible from opposite sides of the back panel  16  in the closed cover position. Preferably, the first distance  34  is also sufficient for viewing the indicia when the binder is disposed on a shelf substantially aligned with a plurality of other binders. In other embodiments, the indexing extension extends from other panels, such as the front panel or the spine, or from several of the panels. Preferably, when looking at the cover in the open position, the extension extends from the bottom right edge of the cove  12 , or from the top left edge, if the cover  12  is viewed upside down, although other suitable arrangements can be used.  
     [0025] The indexing extension  32  preferably is at most about a quarter as long longitudinally as the main portion  36  in the first direction  34 , more preferably at most about a fifth as long, still more preferably at most about 15% as long, still more preferably at most about 10% as long, and most preferably at most about 7% as long. The indexing extension is preferably at least about 3% as long as the main portion  36  in the first direction, and more preferably at least about 5% as long. The most preferred longitudinal length of the indexing extension is about between 0.5 inches and 1.5 inches.  
     [0026] These preferred longitudinal length ratios are also the preferred ratios of the longitudinal length of the indexing extension  32  to the total longitudinal length of the remainder of the cover  12 , excluding the indexing extension  32 , measured along the first direction  34  from edge  40  the panel that extends farthest from the extension  32  in a direction opposite from the first direction  34 , to the base  42  of the indexing extension  32 , where the extension protrudes from the opposing cover panel(s)  14  in the closed cover position.  
     [0027] The ratio of the longitudinal length of the indexing extension  32  to the longitudinal length  44  of the cover  12  taken as a whole, including the indexing extension  32 , is preferably about 5% smaller than the ratios listed above comparing the preferred longitudinal lengths of the indexing extension  32  to the main portion  36 . In one embodiment, the indexing extension  32  extends beyond the opposing front cover panel  14  in the first direction  34  by at most about a fifth of the binder length  44  in the closed cover position, which in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 is equal to the binder length in the open position. As the most preferred indexing extension  32  extends beyond all of the remaining cover panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  in the closed cover position in the first direction  38 , the indexing extension can be seen from any side of the binder in the closed cover position.  
     [0028] Indexing extension  32  has a lateral width  46  in a lateral direction, which is oriented at an angle to the longitudinal direction  38 , preferably about a right angle, and preferably which follows the side of the main portion  36  adjacent the indexing extension  32 . The width  46  of the indexing extension can be the same as that of the main portion  36  of the back cover panel  16 . Preferably, however, the indexing extension  36  has a lateral width  46  which is at most about 95% or the width  48  of the main portion  36  or entire back panel  16 , more preferably at most about 90% and at least about 50% thereof.  
     [0029] Indexing indicia, such as indexing stickers  48 , are shown disposed on the indexing extension  32 . The stickers are preferably color or pattern coded and have letters or numbers to facilitate in their rapid identification when the binder is among others on a shelf. Preferably, the position of the indexing extension  32  with respect to the cover panels  14 ,  16 ,  18  and the sticker  48  position on the indexing extension  32  are selected for viewing when a plurality of similar binders are disposed next to each other on their spines  18  on a shelf. Thus, a shelf filing system is provided, which allows the use of ring binders.  
     [0030] Referring to FIG. 3, another ring binder embodiment  50  has a front cover  52 , which is disposed opposite the back panel  54  in the closed cover position. The front panel  52  defines a recessed edge  56  with a recess facing in the direction  58  in which indexing extension  60  extends. Thus, the remainder of the front panel  52  can be enlarged where it does not overlap the indexing extension  60  in the closed cover position.  
     [0031] The recess  57  preferably has a longitudinal depth  61  measured to the longitudinal edge  63  of the front or back panel  52 ,  54 . The recess depth  61  is preferably at most about 75% and more preferably at most about 50% of the longitudinal length  63  of the indexing extension  60 , measured from the overlapping position of the recess  57 . The recessed edge  56  preferably extends longitudinally in the direction  58  sufficiently to cover the longitudinal edges  72  of any paper stacks bound to the binder  50 .  
     [0032] Binder  50  has a stack of paper  62 , shown in phantom lines attached to the closed ring-binding mechanism  64 . Second and third binding mechanisms  66  of types known in the art, are attached to the cover, in this particular embodiment to the front and back covers  52 ,  54 . The additional binding mechanisms  66  shown include a flexible metal band  68  that can be inserted in holes in stacks of paper, such as near the top edge thereof. The binding mechanism  66  on the front cover  52  is shown holding a paper stack  70 .  
     [0033] While illustrative embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and other embodiments may be devised by those skilled in the art. For example, A transparent portion can be added to opaque opposing cover panels to overlap the indexing extension in the closed position but permit viewing of the indicia thereon. Additionally, other binder embodiments have different numbers and configurations of cover panel or sections. Therefore, it will be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments that come within the spirit and scope of the present invention.