Patent ID: 8857855

Claim:
A binding system for binding a set of media sheets, comprising: first and second binder pieces, each including: an end cap; a retainer having an arc-shaped cross-section, the arc-shaped cross-section having an inner diameter and an associated arc angle of at least 200 degrees and less than 360 degrees thereby providing an opening slot that extends along a length of the retainer, wherein one end of the retainer is connected to the end cap; a cylinder having an outer diameter and a length, the outer diameter of the cylinder being less than the inner diameter of the arc-shaped cross-section of the retainer, wherein one end of the cylinder is connected to the end cap such that the cylinder is positioned within the retainer; and a connection mechanism positioned on an end of the retainer or the cylinder opposite to the end connected to the end cap; wherein the first and second binder pieces are adapted to bind the set of sheets of media by; inserting a first edge of the set of media sheets into a gap between the retainer and the cylinder of the first binder piece such that the media sheets are wrapped around the cylinder with the media sheets extending out of the opening slot in the retainer; inserting a second edge of the set of media sheets into a gap between the retainer and the cylinder of the second binder piece such that the media sheets are wrapped around the cylinder with the media sheets extending out of the opening slot in the retainer, the second edge of the media sheets being opposite to the first edge of the media sheets; and engaging the connection mechanism on the first binder piece with the connection mechanism on the second binder piece to connect the first and second binder pieces together.