Patent ID: 6840695

Claim:
A ring binder mechanism comprising: a housing ( 10 ) having a C- or U-shaped cross-section with spring-elastic bendable flanks ( 28 ) for receiving two carrier rails ( 20 ), wherein said carrier rails, on their facing longitudinal edges, lie against each other forming a linkage axis ( 22 ) and, with their away-facing longitudinal edges ( 24 ) engage in mounting grooves ( 26 ) in the housing flanks ( 28 ), and at least two half-rings ( 16 ) longitudinally spaced apart and rigidly connected with each of the carrier rails ( 20 ), wherein said half-rings ( 16 ) extend through openings ( 12 ) in a housing wall ( 13 ) and together form a ring ( 14 ), wherein the carrier rails ( 20 ) are limitedly pivotable against each other about the linkage axis ( 22 ) between an open position and a closed position upon overcoming a spring force along the half-rings ( 16 ) produced by the housing flanks ( 28 ), wherein at least one blocking element ( 32 , 32 ′) is slideable or moveable via operating element ( 18 ), wherein said at least one blocking element ( 32 , 32 ′) is essentially parallel to the linkage axis ( 22 ), wherein said at least one blocking element ( 32 , 32 ′) is slideable or moveable relative to the housing ( 10 ) and to the carrier rails ( 20 ), wherein when said at least one blocking element ( 32 , 32 ′) is in the closed position, it protrudes into a free space ( 34 ) formed between the carrier rails ( 20 ) and the housing wall ( 13 ) and the pivot movement of the carrier rails ( 20 ) is blocked, and wherein when said at least one blocking element ( 32 , 32 ′) is in the open position, the carrier rails ( 20 ) may pivot about the linkage axis ( 22 ), and wherein at least one blocking element ( 32 , 32 ′) is pre-tensioned in the direction of the closed position under the influence of a closing spring ( 36 , 36 ′).