Fully interchangeable and recyclable binder cover and binding mechanism

A printed material binder, comprising:

• a hardcover binder having front and back binder panels that are joined at a spine, said front and back binder panels each having an interior pocket that opens towards the spine;
• a binder mechanism for holding printed materials;
• and
• a pair of opposing inserts that are integrated with said binding mechanism, said binding mechanism and said inserts forming a separate unit that is removably mated with said hardcover binder to form said printed material binder, said inserts being removably insertable and snugly fit into said pockets to hold said binding mechanism against said spine and between said front and back binder panels, said inserts being rigid enough to maintain their shape within said pockets, said pockets allowing slight movement of the inserts and binding mechanism, thereby providing a cushion that helps prevent said printed material on said binder mechanism from forcing said binding mechanism open when said printed material binder is jarred;
• said inserts having tips that are formed approximately halfway between the ends of their respective inserts and taper to an approximate height of said pocket, making each said insert easier to handle and feed into its respective pocket, wherein each said interior pocket substantially covers its respective panel and has an overlap tab along the length of the pocket opening, said tab overlapping said spine and tucked under said binding mechanism such that said inserts are hidden within said pockets and said pocket openings are hidden behind said binding mechanism.

A binder of printed material, comprising:

• front and back binder panels that are joined at a spine, said front and back binder panels each having an interior pocket that opens towards said spine;
• a binding mechanism for binding printed material;
• and
• a pair of opposing inserts of substantially less width than said panels, said inserts integrated into said binding mechanism, said binding mechanism and said inserts forming a separate unit that is removably mated with said binder panels and said spine to form said binder of printed material, each said insert fitting snugly in a respective one of said interior pockets to mount said binding mechanism against said spine and between said front and back panels;
• said pockets and inserts cooperating to resist side-to-side or twisting movement of said binding mechanism, prevent movement of said binding mechanism, and prevent said binding mechanism from falling out of said binder accidentally.

A binder of printed material, comprising:

• front and back binder panels that are joined at a spine, said front and back binder panels each having an interior pocket that opens towards said spine;
• a binding mechanism for binding printed material;
• and
• a pair of opposing inserts of substantially less width than said panels, said inserts integrated into said binding mechanism, said binding mechanism and said inserts forming a separate unit that is removably mated with said binder panels and said spine to form said binder of printed material, each said insert fitting snugly in a respective one of said interior pockets to mount said binding mechanism against said spine and between said front and back panels, said interior pockets allowing slight movement of the inserts and binding mechanism, thereby providing a cushion that helps prevent said printed material on said binder mechanism from forcing said binding mechanism open when said binder of printed material is jarred;
• said pockets and inserts cooperating to resist side-to-side or twisting movement of said binding mechanism, prevent movement of said binding mechanism, and prevent said binding mechanism from falling out of said binder accidentally, wherein each said interior pocket substantially covers its respective panel and has an overlap tab along the length of the pocket opening, said tab overlapping said spine and tucked under said binding mechanism such that said inserts are hidden within said pockets and said pocket openings are hidden behind said binding mechanism.

A D-ring printed material binder, comprising:

• a hardcover binder having front and back binder panels that are joined at a spine, said back panel having an interior pocket that is offset and opens toward said spine and said spine having an interior pocket that is offset and opens toward said back panel;
• a D-ring binding mechanism for holding printed material;
• and
• a pair of opposing inserts that are integrated with said binding mechanism, said binding mechanism and said inserts forming a separate unit that is removably mated with said hardcover binder to form said printed material binder, each said insert being removably insertable and snugly fit into a respective one of said pockets to hold said binding mechanism against the interior of said back panel along the edge joining said spine and said back panel, said inserts rigid enough to maintain their shape within said pockets, said pockets allowing slight movement of the inserts and binding mechanism, thereby providing a cushion that helps prevent said printed material on said binder mechanism from forcing said binding mechanism open when said printed material binder is jarred;
• said pockets and inserts cooperating to resist side-to-side or twisting movement of said binding mechanism, prevent movement of said binding mechanism, and prevent said binding mechanism from falling out of said binder accidentally.

A method of interchanging or replacing a binder binding mechanism, comprising:

• providing a binding mechanism for holding printed material, said binding mechanism having a pair of opposing inserts, said binding mechanism and inserts forming a separate unit;
• providing a hardcover that has a front and back interior panel each of substantially greater width than said inserts and joined to a spine, said panels having respective interior pockets that are offset from and open towards said spine;
• and
• inserting said inserts into respective ones of said pockets so that they fit snugly and anchor said binding mechanism against the spine inside said hardcover_such that said insert and binding mechanism unit is removably mated with said hardcover and said interior pockets allow slight movement of said insert and binding mechanism unit, thereby providing a cushion that helps prevent said printed material on said binding mechanism from forcing said binding mechanism open when said binder is jarred;
• said pockets and inserts cooperating to resist side-to-side or twisting movement of said binding mechanism, prevent movement of said binding mechanism, and prevent said binding mechanism from falling out of said binder accidentally.

A method of interchanging or replacing a binder binding mechanism, comprising:

• providing a binding mechanism for holding printed material, said binding mechanism having a pair of opposing inserts, said binding mechanism and inserts forming a separate unit;
• providing a hardcover that has a front and back interior panel each of substantially greater width than said inserts and joined to a spine, said back panel having an interior pocket that is offset from and open towards said spine and said spine having an interior pocket that is offset form and open towards said back panel;
• and
• inserting said inserts into respective ones of said pockets so that they fit snugly and anchor said binding mechanism against said back panel inside said hardcover such that said insert and binding mechanism unit is removably mated with said hardcover and said interior pockets allow slight movement of said insert and binding mechanism unit, thereby providing a cushion that helps prevent said printed material on said binding mechanism from forcing said binding mechanism open when said binder is jarred;
• said pockets and inserts cooperating to resist side-to-side or twisting movement of said binding mechanism, prevent movement of said binding mechanism, and prevent said binding mechanism from falling out of said binder accidentally.