Binder Mechanism

A binder mechanism, comprising:

• (a) a first ring assembly being pivotable along a first longitudinal axis and including at least one first ring segment;
• (b) a second ring assembly including at least one second ring segment disposed generally laterally from the first ring segment forming at least one ring segment pair therewith;
• and
• wherein the first and second ring assemblies are lockable with respect to each other in a locked position in which the ring segment pair defines a loop that is substantially closed to retain a stack;
• wherein at least one of the first and second ring assemblies is movable with respect to the other to an unlocked position that is longitudinally spaced from the locked position and generally aligned with the longitudinal axis to permit the first ring assembly to pivot about the longitudinal axis to an open position in which the loop is substantially open.

A binder mechanism, comprising:

• (a) a first ring assembly that includes a first platform and at least one first ring segment mounted to the first platform;
• and
• (b) a binding portion, at least one of the first ring assembly and the binding portion being a pivotable portion which is pivotable with respect to the other about a first longitudinal axis to a locked position in which the first ring segement is engaged with binding portion cooperatively defining a loop that is substantially closed to retain a stack;
• wherein the first ring assembly and the binding portion are lockable with respect to each other in the locked position to prevent pivoting of the pivotable portion from the locked position;
• wherein at least one of the first platform and the binding portion is movable with respect to the other from the locked position in an unlocking direction to permit the pivotable portion to pivot about the longitudinal axis to an open position in which the loop is substantially open, wherein the unlocking direction is generally aligned with the longitudinal axis and oriented non-orthogonally from the longitudinal axis.

A binder mechanism, comprising:

• a first ring assembly that includes at least one first locking ring segment and a proximal ring segment;
• and
• a binding portion that includes a second locking segment, at least one of the first ring assembly and the binding portion being a pivotable portion which is pivotable with respect to the other about a first longitudinal axis to a locked position in which the first ring segments are engaged with binding portion cooperatively defining a loop that is substantially closed to retain a stack;
• wherein the proximal ring segment is disposed relative to the locking segment such that the proximal ring segment contacts the binding portion prior to the locking segment upon the pivoting of the pivotable portion towards the locked position;
• wherein second locking segment is lockable to the first locking segment in the locked position to prevent pivoting of the pivotable portion from the locked position and unlockable therefrom to permit the pivotable portion to pivot about the longitudinal axis to an open position in which the loop is substantially open.