Zip Fasteners and Binders

Abstract

An apparatus and method for binding sheets of material, comprising two mating binding strips are placed on opposite sides of a stack of sheets of perforated material, such that retaining surfaces can hold the sheets of material together in a bound volume. The binding strips mate via retaining straps that lock using a zip or ratcheting mechanism in the fastening head. At least one retaining tooth on the fastening head catches with a ratchet tooth on the retaining strip. In one preferred embodiment, one binding strip has at least two flexible retaining strips of notched material having at least one surface covered with detents, ridges, or retaining teeth. The female binding strip (or “locking strip”) has a plurality of fastening heads with locking mechanisms such as pawls. Each fastening head receives a retaining strip through a receiving passageway oriented in the same plane as the sheets of bound material.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.