Patent ID: 7661898

Claim:
A ring binder mechanism for retaining loose-leaf pages, the mechanism comprising: a housing having longitudinal ends; hinge plates supported by the housing for pivoting motion relative to the housing, the hinge plates including at least one opening; rings for holding loose-leaf pages, each ring including a first ring member mounted on a first hinge plate and moveable with the pivoting motion of the first hinge plate, each ring further including a second ring member, the first ring member being movable relative to the second ring member so that in a closed position the two ring members form 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 an open position the two ring members form a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the rings; a travel bar movable in translation relative to the housing and the hinge plates, the travel bar having two longitudinal edge margins; a locking element moveable with the travel bar, the locking element engaging at least one of the hinge plates and producing the pivoting motion of the hinge plates when the locking element moves from a position in registration with said opening in the hinge plates to a position substantially out of registration with said opening; and the travel bar including reinforcing structure constructed and arranged to resist bending about an axis extending lengthwise of the travel bar and to resist bending about an axis widthwise of the travel bar for rigidifying the travel bar.