Patent ID: 7600939

Claim:
A ring binder mechanism for retaining loose-leaf pages, the mechanism comprising: a housing having a longitudinal axis; first and second hinge plates supported by the housing along a hinge for pivoting movement relative to the housing about the hinge; rings for holding loose-leaf pages, each ring including a first ring member and a second ring member, the first ring member being mounted on the first hinge plate and moveable with the pivoting motion of the first hinge plate relative to the second ring member between a closed position and an opened position, in the closed position a free end of the first ring member joining with a free end of the second ring member, and in the opened position the free end of the first ring member separating from the free end of the second ring member; an interlocking formation for locking the first ring member and second ring member of each ring in the closed position; an actuator mounted on the housing for movement relative to the housing, the actuator being adapted to pivot the first and second hinge plates by applying an upward force to at least one of the hinge plates and to translate the first hinge plate relative to the second hinge plate in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing, wherein the first hinge plate moves in a first longitudinal direction when disengaging the interlocking formation, the ring binder mechanism further comprising a spring operatively connected to the hinge plates for urging the first hinge plate to move in a second longitudinal direction opposite the first longitudinal direction.