Patent ID: 7972076

Claim:
A binding mechanism assembly for binding a plurality of sheet items comprising: a generally flat, planar backing member configured to generally fully support 8½ inch by 11 inch paper or A4 size paper thereon; and at least two binding members directly or indirectly coupled to said backing member, each binding member including a protrusion shaped and located to protrude through a hole of a plurality of sheet items to be bound thereto, each binding member further including a generally flexible polymer or plastic flange configured to engage the associated protrusion to form a generally closed loop and thereby bind said plurality of sheet items thereto, each binding member being independently pivotable relative to said backing member, and wherein selected ones of said plurality of sheet items bound to said binding member are pivotable about said closed loops to a position wherein said pivoted sheet items are located below said backing member and the remainder of said plurality of sheet items are in a generally flat configuration and located above said backing member, and wherein said plurality of sheet items located below said backing member are in a generally flat configuration and are oriented generally parallel with said plurality of sheet items located above said backing member.