Flexible binding mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433698-B2
Application number	US-202117314597-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2021
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

A binding mechanism including a body portion having a flange opening extending therethrough. The body portion further includes or at least partially defines a body portion opening positioned adjacent a base end of the flange. The binding mechanism has a manually deflectable flange coupled to the body portion. At least part of the flange is insertable through the flange opening from a first side of the body portion to at least partially form a loop on the first side of the body portion. The at least part of the flange is alternatively insertable through the flange opening from a second side of the body portion opposite the first side to at least partially form a loop on the second side of the body portion. The body portion opening is configured to receive the flange therethrough to enable the flange to be positioned on either the first side or the second side of the body portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A binding mechanism comprising:
a storage device, the storage device including a spine; and
a body portion including:
a projection portion including a proximal end adjacent the storage device and a distal end opposite the proximal end, the proximal end of the projection portion including at least one flange and the distal end of the projection portion including at least one corresponding flange opening, the at least one flange opening being aligned with the at least one flange, and
an attachment portion secured within the spine of the storage device, the attachment portion opposite the distal end of the projection portion and having a cut-out including a first notch directly adjacent a first side of the at least one flange and a second notch directly adjacent a second side of the at least one flange,
wherein the cut-out extends into at least a portion of the proximal end of the projection portion such that the proximal end of the projection portion and the storage device form an opening directly adjacent the spine of the storage device.

2. The binding mechanism of claim 1 wherein the spine is a two-ply spine, and wherein the attachment portion is positioned within the two-ply spine.

3. The binding mechanism of claim 1 wherein the storage device further includes a front cover and a rear cover, the front cover coupled to the rear cover along the spine, and wherein the at least one flange extends towards a center of the front cover and the projection portion extends toward a center of the rear cover.

4. The binding mechanism of claim 3 wherein the projection portion is free to pivot relative to the storage device including away from the front cover and away from the rear cover.

5. The binding mechanism of claim 1 wherein the projection portion, the attachment portion, and the at least one flange comprise a single, unitary piece of material.

6. The binding mechanism of claim 1 wherein the cut-out is positioned between the spine of the storage device and the at least one flange opening.

7. A binding mechanism comprising:
a body portion including:
an attachment portion coupling the body portion to a spine of a storage device,
a projection portion extending from the body portion opposite the attachment portion,
at least one flange and at least one corresponding flange opening, the at least one flange being aligned with the at least one flange opening, and
a cut-out disposed in the attachment portion and including a first notch directly adjacent a first side of the at least one flange and a second notch directly adjacent a second side of the at least one flange,

wherein the cut-out extends into at least a portion of the projection portion such that, when the attachment portion is coupled to the spine, the projection portion and the storage device form an opening directly adjacent the spine of the storage device.

8. The binding mechanism of claim 7 wherein a base portion of the at least one flange is directly adjacent the spine of the storage device.

9. The binding mechanism of claim 7 wherein the at least one flange includes a tip portion, a base portion, and a stem extending between the tip portion and the base portion, and wherein the base portion of the at least one flange is positioned between the first notch and the second notch.

10. The binding mechanism of claim 7 wherein the storage device comprises a front cover and a rear cover, the front cover being coupled to the rear cover along the spine, and wherein the projection portion is free to pivot relative to the storage device including away from the front cover and away from the rear cover.

11. The binding mechanism of claim 7 wherein the attachment portion is positioned within the spine of the storage device.

12. The binding mechanism of claim 7 wherein the attachment portion and the projection portion comprise a single, unitary piece of material.

13. The binding mechanism of claim 7 wherein the body portion further comprises a hinge line, the hinge line dividing the body portion into the projection portion and the attachment portion.

14. A binding mechanism comprising:
a body portion including:
a projection portion including a first edge and at least one flange opening adjacent the first edge,
at least one flange aligned with the at least one flange opening, the at least one flange comprising a base portion, a tip portion, and a stem portion extending between the base portion and the tip portion, and
an attachment portion including a second edge, the projection portion extending from the body portion in a direction opposite the attachment portion, wherein the attachment portion includes a cut-out extending inward from the second edge through the attachment portion and into at least a portion of the projection portion, the cut-out including a first notch directly adjacent a first side of the base portion and a second notch directly adjacent a second side of the base portion of the at least one flange,

wherein the base portion of the at least one flange is attached to the body portion between the first edge and the second edge.

15. The binding mechanism of claim 14 wherein the body portion further comprises a hinge line, the hinge line dividing the body portion into the projection portion and the attachment portion.

16. The binding mechanism of claim 14 wherein the projection portion, the attachment portion, and the at least one flange comprise a single, unitary piece of material.

17. The binding mechanism of claim 14 wherein the attachment portion is configured to couple the body portion to a storage device, and wherein when the attachment portion is coupled to the storage device the projection portion and the storage device form an opening directly adjacent a spine of the storage device.

18. The binding mechanism of claim 17 wherein the attachment portion is configured to couple the body portion to a spine of the storage device.

19. The binding mechanism of claim 14 wherein the base portion of the at least one flange is attached to the body portion between the at least one flange opening and the second edge.

20. The binding mechanism of claim 14 wherein a width of the tip portion of the at least one flange is greater than a width of the stem portion of the at least one flange.

Assignees

• Acco Brands Corp

Inventors

• Busam Edward P
• James Jr Bobby G
• Olvera Paul E
• Rowe Michael D

Classifications

• B42F13/10 Primary

  of plastics · CPC title

• B42D3/126

  enabling the book to be positioned upright (for loose-leaf binders B42F13/402) · CPC title

• B42F13/06

  with strips or bands · CPC title

• B42D3/06

  with hinges {(covers of loose-leaf binders with hinges B42F13/002)} · CPC title

• B42F13/02

  with flexible or resilient means {(with flexible or resilient claws or rings B42F13/165)} · CPC title