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US 2022/0144007 A1Published application
Coupling device
AssigneeACCO Brands Corporation
InventorsHannah E. Junglas, Edward P. Busam
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for removably coupling one or more sheets of stationery to a notebook or similar item is provided and a portion of the coupling device, such as one or more arms, may extend through one or more holes in the stationery to retain the stationery to the notebook. Providing a device for removably attaching stationery items to a notebook allows students, planners, professionals, and other users to securely retain items in a notebook at a specific location within the pages thereof. In operation, such a coupling device permits users to keep track of a variety of items in a bound component.
Claims26
A coupling device comprising:
- an elongate body having a first coupling mechanism along a first side and a second coupling mechanism along a second side;
- the first coupling mechanism including a plurality of projections configured to attach to a binding including an array of coils;
- and
- the second coupling mechanism including a first retention arm and a second retention arm attached at the second side of the body for inserting through holes formed in stationery to attach the stationery to the elongate body, the first retention arm extending at least in part toward a first end of the elongate body and the second retention arm extending at least in part toward a second end of the elongate body,
- wherein the first retention arm and the second retention arm are elastically deflectable from respective original positions, wherein the first retention arm and the second retention arm elastically return toward the respective original positions to secure the stationery to the elongate body.
2 more elements
A coupling device comprising:
- an elongate body having a first coupling mechanism along a first side and a second coupling mechanism along a second side;
- the first coupling mechanism including a plurality of projections configured to attach to a binding including an array of coils;
- and
- the second coupling mechanism including a first retention arm and a second retention arm attached at the second side of the body for inserting through holes formed in stationery to attach the stationery to the elongate body, the first retention arm extending at least in part toward a first end of the elongate body and the second retention arm extending at least in part toward a second end of the elongate body,
- wherein at least one of the first or second retention arms includes a retaining portion and a guide portion, the retaining portion attached to the elongate body and extending at least in part toward the first side of the elongate body and the guide portion attached to the retaining portion and extending away from the retaining portion.
2 more elements
A coupling device comprising:
- an elongate body having a first coupling mechanism along a first side and a second coupling mechanism along a second side;
- the first coupling mechanism including a plurality of projections configured to attach to a binding including an array of coils;
- and
- the second coupling mechanism including a first retention arm and a second retention arm attached at the second side of the body for inserting through holes formed in stationery to attach the stationery to the elongate body, the first retention arm extending at least in part toward a first end of the elongate body and the second retention arm extending at least in part toward a second end of the elongate body,
- wherein the first retention arm is for insertion into a first hole of stationery and the second retention arm is for insertion into a second hole of the stationery such that substantial lateral movement of the stationery relative to the elongate body is restricted unless the first and second retention arms are flexed.
2 more elements
A coupling device comprising:
- an elongate body having a first coupling mechanism along a first side and a second coupling mechanism along a second side;
- the first coupling mechanism including a plurality of projections configured to attach to a binding including an array of coils;
- and
- the second coupling mechanism including a first retention arm and a second retention arm attached at the second side of the body for inserting through holes formed in stationery to attach the stationery to the elongate body, the first retention arm extending at least in part toward a first end of the elongate body and the second retention arm extending at least in part toward a second end of the elongate body,
- wherein the first retention arm and the second retention arm are elastically deflectable from respective original positions, wherein the first retention arm is spaced apart from the second retention arm such that when the first retention arm is inserted into a first hole of stationery and the second retention arm is inserted into a second hole of the stationery, the stationery is not able to be detached from the elongate body without flexing at least one of the first and second retention arms.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a semi-rigid sheet of flexible material including a plurality of die-cuts therein, the plurality of die-cuts forming a plurality of partially die-cut handout coupling mechanisms,
- wherein each of the plurality of partially die-cut handout coupling mechanisms include an elongate body having a first coupling mechanism along a first side and a second coupling mechanism along a second side, the first coupling mechanism configured to attach to a binding including an array of coils, the second coupling mechanism including a first retention arm and a second retention arm attached at the second side of the elongate body for inserting through holes formed in stationery to attach the stationery to the elongate body, the first arm extending at least in part in a first longitudinal direction, the second arm extending at least in part in a second longitudinal direction opposite the first longitudinal direction.
A handout coupling kit comprising:
- a notebook having a coil binding and a plurality of sheets coupled to the coil binding;
- and
- a semi-rigid sheet of flexible material including a plurality of die-cuts therein, the plurality of die-cuts forming a plurality of partially die-cut handout coupling mechanisms,
- wherein each of the plurality of partially die-cut handout coupling mechanisms include an elongate body having a first coupling mechanism along a first side and a second coupling mechanism along a second side, the first coupling mechanism configured to attach to the coil binding of the notebook, the second coupling mechanism including a first retention arm and a second retention arm attached at the second side of the elongate body for inserting through holes formed in stationery to attach the stationery to the elongate body, the first arm extending at least in part in a first longitudinal direction, the second arm extending at least in part in a second longitudinal direction opposite the first longitudinal direction.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.