Window index system for ring binders

A window system in combination with a loose-leaf ring binder of the type including a spine having a plurality of rings for retaining sheets, a front cover, and a rear cover, said window system comprising:

• a transparent window sheet hinged at one edge to the inside of at least one of the covers for protecting and facilitating view of an underlying information record sheet;
• a magnetic latch system including at least one element carried by said hinged transparent window sheet and at least one other element carried by said one of the covers in alignment with said one element for retaining said transparent window sheet and the underlying information record sheet against the inside of said one of the covers;
• and
• a transparent homing window sheet secured at one edge by the sheet retaining rings as the first sheet immediately inside said one of the covers for protecting and facilitating view of another information record sheet also secured by the sheet-retaining rings and underlying said transparent homing window sheet, said homing window sheet having sufficient rigidity to serve as a sheet lifter, and said transparent hinged window sheet and said transparent homing window sheet together defining a prime storage area.

A window system in combination with a book of the ring binder type including a sheet-retaining spine, a front cover, and a rear cover, said window system comprising:

• a first transparent window sheet hinged at one edge to the inside of said front cover for protecting and facilitating view of a first underlying information record sheet;
• a magnetic latch system including at least one element carried by said first hinged transparent window sheet and at least one other element carried by said front cover in alignment with said one element for retaining said transparent window sheet and the first underlying information record sheet against the inside of said front cover;
• a second transparent window sheet hinged at one edge to the inside of said rear cover for protecting and facilitating view of a second underlying information record sheet;
• another magnetic latch system including at least one element carried by said second hinged transparent window sheet and at least one other element carried by said rear cover in alignment with said one element for retaining said second transparent window sheet and the underlying second information record sheet against the inside of said rear cover;
• a transparent homing window sheet secured at one edge by the sheet-retaining spine as the first sheet immediately inside the front cover for protecting and facilitating view of a third information record sheet also secured by the sheet-retaining spine and underlying said transparent homing window sheet, said first transparent hinged window sheet and said first transparent homing window sheet together defining a first prime storage area;
• and
• a transparent ending window sheet secured at one edge by the sheet-retaining spine as the first sheet immediately inside the rear cover for protecting and facilitating view of a fourth information record sheet also secured by the sheet-retaining spine underlying said transparent ending window sheet, said second hinged transparent window sheet and said transparent ending window sheet together defining a second prime storage area.

A loose-leaf ring binder comprising:

• a spine including a plurality of rings for retaining sheets;
• a front cover;
• a rear cover;
• and
• at least one prime storage area including:
• a transparent window sheet hinged at one edge to the inside of at least one of said covers for protecting and facilitating view of a first underlying information record sheet,
• a latch system including at least one element carried by said hinged transparent window sheet and at least one other element carried by one of said covers in alignment with said one element for retaining said hinged transparent window sheet and the underlying information record sheet against the inside of said one of said covers, and
• a transparent homing window sheet secured at one edge by said sheet-retaining rings as the first sheet immediately inside said one of said covers for protecting and facilitating view of another information record sheet also secured by said sheet-retaining rings and underlying said transparent homing window, said homing window sheet having sufficient rigidity to serve as a sheet lifter.