Binder device

A binder device for protecting documents, said binder device comprising:

• a plurality of plates, each of said plates having a top edge, a bottom edge, a front edge and a back edge, a plurality of apertures being in each plate, each of said apertures being generally positioned adjacent to said front edge of said plates, three of said apertures being positioned nearer said top edge than said bottom edge, three of said apertures being positioned nearer said bottom edge than said top edge, each of said plates having a generally rectangular shape, each of said plates having rounded corners, each of said plates comprising a material being selected from the group comprising metal, plastic, vinyl, cardboard and wood;
• a coupling means for removably coupling a plurality of plates together, said coupling means comprising:
• each of said plates having a plurality of pairs of slots therein, each of said pairs of slots extending into said back edge of said plates, each of said slots opening into said back edge of said plate, each slot of said pairs of slots comprising:
• a first slot and a second slot, each of said slots generally having an L-shape, wherein each of said slots have a foot portion and a leg portion, said foot portions opening into said back edge such that said leg portions are orientated generally perpendicular to said back edge, said leg portions of said first and second slots extending toward each other;
• a plurality of binding members for removably binding said plates together, each of said binding members forming a loop, wherein one of said loops is placed in the leg portions of a pair of slots in a first plate and in a corresponding pair of slots in a second plate such that said first and second plates are hingedly coupled together, wherein binding members may be placed in all of said pairs of slots, each of said binding members comprising an elastic band;
• wherein a plurality of plates may be added between said first and second plates;
• and
• a securing means for releasably securing said plates, said securing means being an elongate flexible member, said elongate flexible member having a first end and a second end, said first end extending through a plurality of said apertures in said second plate generally adjacent to said top edge, said second end extending through a plurality of said apertures in said second plate generally adjacent to said bottom edge, wherein a central portion of said elongate flexible member may be wrapped about said first plate, said elongate flexible member comprising an elastic material.