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US 10,532,598 B2Granted
Ring binder mechanism
AssigneeWorld Wide Stationery Mfg. Co., Ltd.
InventorsWing Yiu Ng, Hung Yu Cheng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ring mechanism has pivoting hinge plates supported by a housing so pivoting of the hinge plates can open and close rings for holding the loose-leaf pages. The mechanism has an actuator including a lower arm for moving the hinge plates to open the rings and an upper arm for moving the hinge plates to close the rings. The upper arm has a hook thereon. An intermediate connector comprises a cross bar captured by the hook on the actuator. The intermediate connector connects a travel bar to the actuator so movement of the actuator to pivot the hinge plates causes longitudinal movement of the travel bar in the housing. A locking element is moveable with the travel bar between a locking position and non-locking position.
Claims17
A ring mechanism for retaining loose leaf pages, the mechanism comprising:
- an elongate housing having a central portion and sides extending down from the central portion;
- first and second hinge plates supported by the housing for pivoting motion relative to the housing;
- rings for holding the loose-leaf pages, each ring including a first ring member and a second ring member, the first ring member 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 mounted on the housing for movement relative to the housing for causing pivoting motion of the hinge plates to open the rings, the actuator comprising a lower arm for moving the hinge plates to open the rings and an upper arm for moving the hinge plates to close the rings, the upper arm having a hook thereon, the hook being configured to define a channel having an open side facing the central portion of the housing;
- a travel bar;
- an intermediate connector connecting the travel bar to the actuator so movement of the actuator to pivot the hinge plates causes longitudinal movement of the travel bar in the housing;
- and
- a locking element moveable conjointly with the travel bar between a locking position in which the locking element blocks movement of the hinge plates to open the rings and non-locking position in which the locking element does not block pivoting movement of the hinge plates to open the rings,
- wherein the intermediate connector comprises a cross bar captured by the hook on the actuator, and
- wherein the intermediate connector and travel bar are formed as one piece.
7 more elements
A ring mechanism for retaining loose leaf pages, the mechanism comprising:
- an elongate housing having a central portion and sides extending down from the central portion;
- first and second hinge plates supported by the housing for pivoting motion relative to the housing;
- rings for holding the loose-leaf pages, each ring including a first ring member and a second ring member, the first ring member 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 looseleaf 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 mounted on the housing for movement relative to the housing for causing pivoting motion of the hinge plates to open the rings, the actuator comprising a lower arm for moving the hinge plates to open the rings and an upper arm for moving the hinge plates to close the rings, the upper arm having a hook thereon, the hook being configured to define a channel having an open side facing the central portion of the housing;
- a travel bar;
- an intermediate connector connecting the travel bar to the actuator so movement of the actuator to pivot the hinge plates causes longitudinal movement of the travel bar in the housing;
- and
- a locking element moveable with the travel bar between a locking position in which the locking element blocks movement of the hinge plates to open the rings and nonlocking position in which the locking element does not block pivoting movement of the hinge plates to open the rings,
- wherein the intermediate connector comprises a cross bar captured by the hook on the actuator, and
- wherein the intermediate connector has two arms extending to opposite sides of the actuator that connect the travel bar to the opposite ends of the cross bar, and
- wherein the intermediate connector and travel bar are formed as one piece.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.