Loose-leaf binder

A loose-leaf binder comprising:

• an elongate spine comprising first and second elongate spine members each having two opposite longitudinal edges, relatively broad side surfaces and a major transverse dimension between said edges, and a substantially smaller minor transverse dimension normal to said major dimension,
• first and second ring members having inner and outer ends and rigidly joined at their inner ends to broad side surfaces of said first and second spine members, respectively, adjacent certain longitudinal edges of the spine members with the first and second ring members aligned in pairs spaced along said spine, and said ring members comprising curved rods which extend laterally out from their respective spine members and then curve back over the other longitudinal edges of the spine members with the outer ends of each ring member pair aligned to form binder rings, and wherein said spine members comprise coacting means totally independent of said ring members pivotally coupling said spine members for relative pivotal movement of said spine members and ring members on a pivot axis adjacent and parallel to said certain longitudinal edges of the spine members and between open positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are spaced to insert and remove loose leaf sheets into and from the binder and closed positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are juxtaposed to form closed binder rings encircling said spine.

A loose-leaf binder comprising:

• a spring member,
• a first semielliptical casing member pivotally connected to said spring member,
• ring members secured to said spring member and casing member, respectively, in positions to form binder rings, and
• a second semielliptical casing member through which said first ring members extend and which is joined to said first casing member to form a generally elliptical casing containing said spring member in a stressed condition for over-center movement of the spring member in said casing between a first stable position wherein said binder rings are open and a second stable position wherein said binder rings are closed.

A loose-leaf binder comprising:

• an elongate spine having two opposite longitudinal edges, a major transverse dimension between said edges, and a substantially smaller minor transverse dimension normal to said major dimension, and said spine including first and second spine members which have relatively broad side surfaces between said spine edges and are relatively pivotally rotatable substantially about a longitudinal pivot axis adjacent one longitudinal edge of said spine,
• first and second ring members having inner and outer ends and rigidly joined at their inner ends to broad side surfaces of said first and second spine members, respectively, with the first and second ring members aligned in pairs spaced along said spine and the outer ring member ends of each pair aligned to form binder rings which are opened and closed by rotation of said said spine members and ring members substantially about said pivot axis between open positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are spaced to insert and remove loose leaf sheets into and from the binder and closed positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are juxtaposed to form closed binder rings, and wherein
• said spine members comprise elongate plates having opposite ends and longitudinal edges and pivotally joined to one another along one longitudinal edge of one plate and one longitudinal edge of the other plate, and
• said spine comprises a channel member pivotally mounted on one end of one spine plate for movement to and from a position wherein said channel member straddles the adjacent ends of said plates for releasibly securing said spine members to one another when said spine members and ring members occupy their closed positions, thereby to retain said binder rings closed.

A loose-leaf comprising:

• an elongate spine having two opposite longitudinal edges, a major transverse dimension between said edges, and a substantially smaller minor transverse dimension normal to said major dimension, and said spine including first and second spine members which have relatively broad side surfaces between said spine edges and are relatively pivotally rotatable substantially about a longitudinal pivot axis adjacent one longitudinal edge of said spine,
• ring members having inner and outer ends and rigidly joined at their inner ends to broad side surfaces of said first and second spine members, respectively, with the first and second ring members aligned in pairs spaced along said spine and the outer ring member ends of each pair aligned to form binder rings which are opened and closed by rotation of said said spine members and ring members substantially about said pivot axis between open positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are spaced to insert and remove loose leaf sheets into and from the binder and closed positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are juxtaposed to form closed binder rings encircling a major portion of said spine, and wherein
• said spine members comprise elongate plates having opposite ends and first and second longitudinal edges and pivotally joined to one another along said first longitudinal edges,
• said spine comprises a channel member extending longitudinally of said plates and straddling said second longitudinal plate edges for releasibly securing said spine members to one another when said spine members and ring members occupy their closed positions, thereby to retain said binder rings closed,
• said channel member contains a longitudinal channel receiving said second longitudinal plate edges,
• said plates are laterally enlarged along their second longitudinal edges, and
• said channel is shaped and sized in transverse crossection to slidably receive said enlarged second longitudinal plate edges.

A loose-leaf binder comprising:

• an elongate spine having two opposite longitudinal edges, a major transverse dimension between said edges, and a substantially smaller minor transverse dimension normal to said major dimension, and said spine including first and second spine members which have relatively broad side surfaces between said spine edges and are relatively pivotally rotatable substantially about a longitudinal pivot axis adjacent one longitudinal edge of said spine,
• first and second ring members having inner and outer ends and rigidly joined at their inner ends to broad side surfaces of said first and second spine members, respectively, with the first and second ring members aligned in pairs spaced along said spine and the outer ring member ends of each pair aligned to form binder rings which are opened and closed by rotation of said said spine members and ring members substantially about said pivot axis between open positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are spaced to insert and remove loose leaf sheets into and from the binder and closed positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are juxtaposed to form closed binder rings, and wherein
• said spine members comprise plates having first longitudinal edges, means pivotally joining said plates along said longitudinal edges, and said plates having second longitudinal edges opposite their first longitudinal edges, and
• said spine comprises coacting releasible snap fastening means on said spine plates including a bead along the second longitudinal edge of one plate and a channel along the second longitudinal edge of the other plate receiving said bead with a releasible snap fit for releasibly securing said spine plates to one another when said spine plates occupy their closed positions, thereby to retain said binder rings closed.

A loose-leaf binder comprising:

• an elongate spine having two opposite longitudinal edges, a major transverse dfimension between said edges, and a substantially smaller minor transverse dimension normal to said major dimension, and said spine including first and second spine members which have relatively broad side surfaces between said spine edges and are relatively pivotally rotatable substantially about a longitudinal pivot axis adjacent one longitudinal edge of said spine,
• first and second ring members having inner and outer ends and rigidly joined at their inner ends to broad side surfaces of said first and second spine members, respectively, with the first and second ring members aligned in pairs spaced along said spine and the outer ring member ends of each pair aligned to form binder rings which are opened and closed by rotation of said said spine members and ring members substantially about said pivot axis between open positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are spaced to insert and remove loose leaf sheets into and from the binder and closed positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are juxtaposed to form closed binder rings, and wherein
• said spine members comprise plates having first longitudinal edges, means pivotally joining said plates along said longitudinal edges,
• said plates have second longitudinal edges opposite their first longitudinal edges, and
• said spine comprises a magnet along the second longitudinal edge of one plate and a magnetically permeable element along the second longitudinal edge of the other plate engagable with said magnet for releasibly securing said spine plates to one another when said spine plates occupy their closed positions, thereby to retain said binder rings closed.

A loose-leaf binder comprising:

• an elongate spine having two opposite longitudinal edges, a major transverse dimension between said edges, and a substantially smaller minor transverse dimension normal to said major dimension, and said spine including first and second spine members which have relatively broad side surfaces between said spine edges and are relatively pivotally rotatable substantially about a longitudinal pivot axis adjacent one longitudinal edge of said spine,
• first and second ring members having inner and outer ends and rigidly joined at their inner ends to broad side surfaces of said first and second spine members, respectively, with the first and second ring members aligned in pairs spaced along said spine and the outer ring member ends of each pair aligned to form binder rings which are opened and closed by rotation of said said spine members and ring members substantially about said pivot axis between open positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are spaced to insert and remove loose leaf sheets into and from the binder and closed positions wherein the aligned outer ring member ends are juxtaposed to form closed binder rings, and wherein
• said spine members comprise plates having confronting sides and longitudinal edges, and means pivotally joining said plates along said longitudinal edges, and
• said spine comprises coacting VELCRO hook and loop pads fixed to said confronting plate sides, respectively, for releasibly securing said spine plates to one another when said spine plates occupy their closed positions, thereby to retain said binder rings closed.