Patent ID: 7878729

Claim:
A ring binder mechanism for retaining loose-leaf pages, the mechanism comprising: an elongate plate; hinge plates supported by the elongate plate for pivoting motion relative to the elongate plate; rings for holding the loose-leaf pages, each ring including a first ring member and a second ring member, the first ring member being mounted on a 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 open position, in the closed position the two ring members forming a substantially continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf pages retained by the rings to be moved along the rings from one ring member to the other, and in the open position the two ring members forming a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the rings; an actuator supported for pivoting motion by the elongate plate for actuating the ring members between the closed and open positions; a travel bar movable generally in translation lengthwise of the elongate plate and the hinge plates; a connector pivotally connected to the actuator and pivotally connected to the travel bar for pivoting motion relative to both the actuator and travel bar; the connector connecting the actuator to the travel bar so that the pivoting motion of the actuator produces the translational movement of the travel bar lengthwise of the elongate plate.