Patent Publication Number: US-9409436-B2

Title: Binder apparatus

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This patent claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/756,434, filed Jan. 24, 2013, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This patent relates to binders and, more specifically, to binder apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Binders are used to store loose leaf pages, documents, other materials, etc. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts an exploded view of an example binder apparatus. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a side view of the example binder apparatus in the closed position. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a side view of the example binder apparatus in the open position. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a bottom view of the example binder apparatus in the closed position. 
         FIG. 5  depicts a bottom view of the example binder apparatus in the open position. 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  depict side and end views of the example binder apparatus in the closed position. 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  depict side and end views of the example binder apparatus in the open position. 
         FIG. 10  depicts a perspective view of an example lever that can be used to implement the examples disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 11  depicts an example travel bar that can be used to implement the examples disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 12  depicts an exploded view of an example binder apparatus. 
         FIGS. 13-15  depict the example binder apparatus of  FIG. 12  in the closed position. 
         FIGS. 16-18  depict the example binder apparatus of  FIG. 12  being transitioned from the closed position to the open position. 
         FIGS. 19-21  depict the example binder apparatus of  FIG. 12  being transition from the open position toward the closed position. 
         FIGS. 22-24  depict the example binder of  FIG. 12  in the closed position. 
         FIGS. 25-27  depict the example binder apparatus of  FIG. 12  in the open position. 
         FIG. 28  depicts a perspective view of an example lever that can be used to implement the examples disclosed herein. 
         FIG. 29  depicts an example travel bar that can be used to implement the examples disclosed herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Certain examples are shown in the above-identified figures and described in detail below. In describing these examples, like or identical reference numbers are used to identify the same or similar elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic for clarity and/or conciseness. Additionally, several examples have been described throughout this specification. Any features from any example may be included with, a replacement for, or otherwise combined with other features from other examples. 
     The examples disclosed herein relate to binder apparatus that enable closure members/rings to be relatively easily transitioned and/or secured in either an open position or a closed position. More specifically, the examples disclosed herein relate to example travel bars and/or levers that enable a lever to pivot and transition carrier rails from the open position to the closed position prior to moving a travel bar. The travel bar is used to lock and/or secure the binder apparatus in the closed position and/or unlock and/or enable the binder apparatus to move toward and be in the open position. In contrast to some known examples, the example binder apparatus may not include an intermediate connector(s) between the lever and the travel bar to enable travel bar movement delay. In some examples, to enable the lever to move without causing corresponding movement of the travel bar, the travel bar includes an opening, slot and/or loop including a portion received in a channel (e.g., arcuate channel) of the lever. 
     In operation, when the lever begins to transition the rings from the closed position to the open position, a leading edge of the channel substantially immediately engages the travel bar portion positioned within the channel and moves and/or pulls the travel bar and/or its locking mechanism to unblock the movement of the carrier rails and enable the rings to open. The channel is sized and/or has a length to enable the lever to transition the carrier rails from the fully open position toward the fully closed position prior to the travel bar being moved. Specifically, the lever may be moved from the fully open position toward the closed position a substantial distance prior to a trailing edge of the channel engaging the travel bar portion positioned within the channel. Moving the lever without moving the travel bar enables the carrier rails to be transitioned from the open position toward the closed and/or secured position prior to the travel bar moving, which substantially prevents the binder apparatus from malfunctioning (e.g., jamming, binding, etc.). In some examples, a spring and/or biasing apparatus is used to move the travel bar from the unsecured position toward and/or into the secured position. In some such examples, after the pivoting of the carrier rails creates a substance space between the pivot axis of the carrier rails and the inner housing surface, the biasing element moves the travel bar and its blocking element toward the blocking position (e.g., the blocking elements are positioned in the space created between the inner housing surface and the carrier rails). The spring may be coupled between the binder housing and the travel bar or otherwise coupled to bias the travel bar. 
     The channel, which may have different shapes, may be positioned above and/or below the pivot point of the lever. For example, the channel may have an arcuate shape, a linear shape, an inverted arcuate shape, a linear and/or curvilinear shape, etc. If the channel has an arcuate shape, the channel may reduce vertical and/or pivoting motion of the travel bar as the lever rotates through the open and closed positions. If the channel has a linear shape, the channel may change the vertical position of the travel bar when the lever is pivoted. If the channel has an inverted arcuate shape, the channel may further increase vertical displacement of the travel bar. 
     In some examples, to enable an end of the travel bar (e.g., a loop end) to be coupled to the lever, the lever defines a slot coupled to the channel. The slot may include a lip adjacent an entrance of the channel and/or may have an entrance and/or exit shape to substantially prevent the travel bar from inadvertently exiting the channel. In other examples, the slot is sized (e.g., a smaller size) to require a particular amount of force to move the travel bar portion into the slot. In some examples, the slot may be positioned at a distance from and/or at an alternative location relative to the channel to minimize the possibility of inadvertently removing the travel bar from the channel. 
       FIG. 1  depicts an example binder apparatus  100  that can be used to store loose leaf pages, documents, other materials, etc. The binder  100  may include a housing  102 , one or more associated closure members and/or ring portions  104  and a lever and/or lever/actuating assembly  106 . The ring portions  104  are coupled to a first carrier rail  107  and a second carrier rail  109  to form a closure (e.g., a ring) that enables documents to be stored within the binder  100 . The ring portions  104  may be different than depicted in  FIG. 1 . For example, the ring portions  104  may be differently shaped, different from one another, etc. 
     To open and/or close the ring portions  104 , the lever  106  may be actuated in a direction generally represented by arrows  108 ,  110 . Specifically, to open the ring portions  104 , the lever  106  is moved in a direction generally indicated by the arrow  108 , and to close the ring portions  104 , the lever  106  is moved in a direction generally indicated by the arrow  110 . However, the lever  106  may be differently configured to open and/or close the ring portions  104 . 
     The housing  102  includes a first side and/or portion  112 , a second and/or central portion  114  and a third side and/or portion  116 . The second portion  114  is coupled to and positioned between the first and third sides  112 ,  116 . The carrier rails  107 ,  109  are positioned within the housing  102  such that a first longitudinal edge  118  of the first carrier rail  107  is biased by the first side  112  and a second longitudinal edge  120  of the second carrier rail  109  is biased by the third side  116 . Third and fourth longitudinal edges  122 ,  124  of the carrier rails  107 ,  109  may be pivotably coupled via tabs  126 . 
     To enable the binder  100  to be opened and closed, the binder  100  includes the lever  106 , a travel bar  128  and locking elements  130 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the lever  106  includes a handle  202 , a first aperture  204 , a groove, second aperture and/or beak  206 , a slot  208  and/or a channel  210 . A pin  132  ( FIG. 1 ) is received in the first aperture  204  and apertures  134  ( FIG. 1 ) of the housing  102  ( FIG. 1 ) to pivotably couple the lever  106  to the housing  102 . Ends  136 ,  138  ( FIG. 1 ) of the carrier rails  107 ,  109  are positioned in the channel  210  to enable movement of the handle  202  to in turn transition and/or assist in transitioning the carrier rails  107 ,  109  between the open and closed positions. A travel bar portion and/or end  139  is positioned in the channel  210  via the slot  208 . 
     In operation as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , to open the binder  100 , the handle  202  is moved in a direction generally indicated by the arrow  108 , thereby moving a first end  212  of the beak  206  toward outward facing surfaces  142 ,  144  of the carrier rails  107 ,  109 . When the first end  212  begins to transition the carrier rails  107 ,  109  from the closed position to the open position, the travel bar end  139  is positioned adjacent a leading edge and/or surface  214  of the channel  210 . As the handle  202  is further pivoted in the direction generally indicated by arrow  108 , the travel bar  128  and its locking elements  130  are moved and/or transitioned toward an unblocking position. Specifically, the locking elements  108 , which are positioned between the travel bar  128  and the carrier rails  107 ,  109 , are moved and/or pivoted via the longitudinal movement of the travel bar  128  to enable and/or not block the carrier rails  107 ,  109  from pivoting toward the open position (e.g., the locking elements  130  are non-perpendicularly positioned relative to the central portion  114 ). 
     To close the binder  100  as shown in  FIG. 1-3 , the handle  202  is moved in a direction generally indicated by arrow  110 , thereby moving a second end  216  of the beak  206  toward inward facing surfaces  146 ,  148  of the carrier rails  107 ,  109 . In some examples, the channel  210  is sized and/or has a length to enable the second end  216  to engage and transition the carrier rails  107 ,  109  toward the closed position prior to the travel bar end  139  engages a trailing edge  218  of the channel  210 . After the travel bar end  139  engages the trailing edge  218 , in some examples, further movement of the handle  202  in the direction generally indicated by arrow  110  moves and/or transitions the travel bar  128  and the locking elements  130  toward the blocking position. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the travel bar  128  is biased via a spring and/or biasing apparatus  602  ( FIG. 6 ) in a direction generally indicated by arrow  300  ( FIG. 3 ). In some such examples, once the carrier rails  107 ,  109  are transitioned enough to provide adequate space between the travel bar  128  and the carrier rails  107 ,  109  to enable the locking elements  130  to be transitioned to the locking position (e.g., substantially perpendicular relative to the central portion  114 ), the spring  602  moves the travel bar  128  toward and/or into the locking position. In the blocking position, the locking elements  130  may be substantially perpendicularly positioned relative to the carrier rails  107  and/or  109  and/or the travel bar  128  to substantially prevent the binder  100  from opening. 
       FIGS. 2, 4, 6 and 7  depict the binder apparatus  100  in the closed and/or secured position.  FIGS. 3, 5, 8 and 9  depict the binder apparatus  100  in the open and/or unsecured position.  FIG. 10  depicts a detailed view of the lever  106  and  FIG. 11  depicts a detailed view of the travel bar  128 . 
       FIG. 12  depicts an example binder apparatus  1200  that can be used to store loose leaf pages, documents, other materials, etc. The binder  1200  may include a housing  1202 , one or more associated closure members and/or ring portions  1204  and a lever and/or lever/actuating assembly  1206 . The ring portions  1204  are coupled to a first carrier rail  1207  and a second carrier rail  1209  to form a closure (e.g., a ring) that enables documents to be stored within the binder  1200 . The ring portions  1204  may be different than depicted in  FIG. 12 . For example, the ring portions  1204  may be differently shaped, different from one another, etc. 
     To open and/or close the ring portions  1204 , the lever  1206  may be actuated in a direction generally represented by arrows  1208 ,  1210 . Specifically, to open the ring portions  1204 , the lever  1206  is moved in a direction generally indicated by the arrow  1208 , and to close the ring portions  1204 , the lever  1206  is moved in a direction generally indicated by the arrow  1210 . However, the lever  1206  may be differently configured to open and/or close the ring portions  1204 . 
     The housing  1202  includes a first side and/or portion  1212 , a second and/or central portion  1214  and a third side and/or portion  1216 . The second portion  1214  is coupled to and positioned between the first and third sides  1212 ,  1216 . The carrier rails  1207 ,  1209  are positioned within the housing  1202  such that a first longitudinal edge  1218  of the first carrier rail  1207  is biased by the first side  1212  and a second longitudinal edge  1220  of the second carrier rail  1209  is biased by the third side  1216 . Third and fourth longitudinal edges  1222 ,  1224  of the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209  may be pivotably coupled via tabs. 
     To enable the binder  1200  to be opened and closed, the binder  1200  includes the lever  1206 , a travel bar  1228  and locking elements  1230 . As shown in  FIG. 13 , the lever  1206  includes a handle  1302 , a first aperture  1304 , a groove, second aperture and/or beak  1306  and/or a channel  1310 . A pin  1232  ( FIG. 12 ) is received in the first aperture  1304  and apertures  1234  ( FIG. 12 ) of the housing  1202  ( FIG. 12 ) to pivotably couple the lever  1206  to the housing  1202 . Ends  1236 ,  1238  ( FIG. 12 ) of the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209  are positioned in the channel  1310  to enable movement of the handle  1302  to in turn transition and/or assist in transitioning the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209  between the open and closed positions. A travel bar portion and/or end  1239  is positioned in the channel  1310  via, for example, a slot or other means. 
       FIGS. 13-15  depict the binder  1200  in the closed position.  FIGS. 16-18  depict the binder  1200  being transitioned from the closed position to the open position.  FIGS. 19-21  depict the binder  1200  being transition from the open position toward the closed position.  FIGS. 22-24  depict the binder  1200  in the closed position.  FIGS. 25-27  depict the binder  1200  in the open position. 
     In operation, to open the binder  1200  as shown in  FIGS. 13-18 , the handle  1302  is moved in a direction generally indicated by the arrow  1208 , thereby moving a first end  1312  of the beak  1306  toward outward facing surfaces  1242 ,  1244  of the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209 . When the first end  1312  begins to transition the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209  from the closed position to the open position, the travel bar end  1239  is positioned adjacent a leading edge and/or surface  1314  of the channel  1310 . As the handle  1302  is further pivoted in the direction generally indicated by arrow  1208 , the travel bar  1228  and its locking elements  1230  are moved and/or transitioned toward an unblocking position. Specifically, the locking elements  1208  are moved via the longitudinal movement of the travel bar  1228  to enable and/or not block the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209  from pivoting toward the open position. 
     To close the binder  1200  as shown in  FIGS. 19-24 , the handle  1302  is moved in a direction generally indicated by arrow  1210 , thereby moving a second end  1316  of the beak  1306  toward inward facing surfaces  1246 ,  1248  of the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209 . In some examples, the channel  1310  is sized and/or has a length to enable the second end  1316  to engage and transition the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209  toward the closed position prior to the travel bar end  1239  engaging a trailing edge  1318  of the channel  1310  and/or while the travel bar end  1239  moves within the channel  1310 . Thus, the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209  may be transitioned from the open position toward the closed position while the travel bar  1228  remains in the unlocked and/or non-blocking position. After the travel bar end  1239  engages the trailing edge  1318 , in some examples, further movement of the handle  1302  in the direction generally indicated by arrow  1210  moves and/or transitions the travel bar  1228  and the locking elements  1230  toward the blocking position. Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, the travel bar  1228  is biased via a spring and/or biasing apparatus  1402  in a direction generally indicated by arrow  2202  ( FIG. 22 ). In some such examples, once the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209  are transitioned enough to provide adequate space between the travel bar  1228  and the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209  to enable the locking elements  1230  to be transitioned to the locking position between locking, protruding tabs  2402 ,  2404  ( FIG. 24 ), the spring  1402  moves the travel bar  1228  toward and/or into the locking position. In the blocking position, the locking elements  1230  may be positioned between the locking tabs  2402 ,  2404  ( FIG. 24 ) of the carrier rails  1207  and/or  1209  to substantially prevent the binder  100  from opening. 
       FIG. 25  depicts an end view of the example binder  1200  and the interaction between the travel bar  1228  and the locking tabs  2402 ,  2404  of the carrier rails  1207 ,  1209 .  FIG. 26  depicts the binder  1200  in the open position and the locking elements  1230  spaced from and/or not positioned between the locking tabs  2402 ,  2404 .  FIG. 28  depicts an isometric view of the example lever  1206  and  FIG. 29  depicts an isometric view of the travel bar  1228 . 
     Furthermore, although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling under the doctrine of equivalents.