Granted Patent B2

US 8,517,624 · App. 12/945,370 · Granted Aug 27, 2013

Inventor: James Warmus (La Grange, IL)

Assignee: R.R. Donnelly & Sons

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A binder apparatus, comprising

a housing;

a first carrier rail having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge, the first carrier rail defining a notch adjacent the second longitudinal edge, the housing biasing the first carrier rail by engaging the first longitudinal edge;

a second carrier rail having a third longitudinal edge and a fourth longitudinal edge, the housing biasing the second carrier rail by engaging the third longitudinal edge, the second longitudinal edge hingably engaging the fourth longitudinal edge, the notch defining an opening having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge;

a slider having a control element extending therefrom, the control element comprising a first control surface and a second control surface, the first control surface comprising a curved surface to engage the first edge to transition the first and second carrier rails toward an open position, the first control surface comprising a step between the curved surface and the slider, the step to secure the first and second carrier rails in the open position, the second control surface to engage the second edge to urge the first and second carrier rails to and secure the first and second carrier rails in a closed position; and

a lever operatively coupled to the slider to move the slider between a first position and a second position, in the first position, the first control surface to engage the first edge to secure the first and second carrier rails in the open position, in the second position, the second control surface to engage the second edge to secure the first and second carrier rails in the closed position.

2. The binder apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control element is to extend away from an inner surface of the housing.

3. The binder apparatus of claim 2 , the first control surface comprising an extension that, in the second position, at least partially extends over respective surfaces of the carrier rails adjacent the first edge to substantially ensure alignment of the control element with the carrier rails as the lever is moved from the second position to the first position.

4. The binder apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second control surface, in the second position, is to at least partially engage respective surfaces of the carrier rails adjacent the second edge to secure the first and second carrier rails in the closed position, the respective surfaces facing toward the inner surface of the housing.

5. The binder apparatus of claim 2 , the second control surface comprising a curved surface to transition the carrier rails from the open position to the closed position as the slider is moved from the first position to the second position.

6. The binder apparatus of claim 1 , the slider defining a slot through which a post of the housing extends, the interaction between the slot and the post at least partially guides the movement of the slider between the first position and the second position.

7. The binder apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control element is to extend toward an inner surface of the housing.

8. The binder apparatus of claim 7 , the second control surface comprising a step to be, in the second position, positioned adjacent respective surfaces of the carrier rails adjacent the second edge to secure the first and second carrier rails in the closed position, the respective surfaces facing toward the inner surface of the housing.

9. The binder apparatus of claim 7 , the first control surface comprising a curved surface to transition the carrier rails from the closed position to the open position as the slider is moved from the second position to the first position.

10. The binder apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first control surface, in the first position, is to at least partially engage respective surfaces of the carrier rails adjacent the first edge to secure the first and second carrier rails in the open position, the respective surfaces facing away from the inner surface of the housing.

11. The binder apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a plate coupled to the housing, the slider positioned between the inner surface of the housing and the plate.

12. The binder apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control element extends substantially perpendicularly from the slider.

13. The binder apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of control elements extending from the slider.

14. The binder apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of associated closure members that interact to enable objects to be retained, at least one of the plurality of associated closure members is coupled to the first carrier rail and at least another one of the plurality of associated closure members is coupled to the second carrier rail.

15. The binder apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of control elements extending from the slider, one of the plurality of control elements positioned adjacent to each of the plurality of associated closure members.

16. A binder apparatus, comprising

a housing;

a first carrier rail having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge, the first carrier rail defining a notch adjacent the second longitudinal edge, the housing biasing the first carrier rail by engaging the first longitudinal edge;

a second carrier rail having a third longitudinal edge and a fourth longitudinal edge, the housing biasing the second carrier rail by engaging the third longitudinal edge, the second longitudinal edge hingably engaging the fourth longitudinal edge, the notch defining an opening having a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge; and

a slider having a control element extending therefrom, the control element comprising a first control surface and a second control surface, the first control surface comprising a step between a curved surface of the first control surface and the slider, the curved surface to engage the first edge to transition the first and second carrier rails to an open position, the second control surface to engage the second edge to urge the first and second carrier rails to a closed position.

17. A binder apparatus, comprising

a housing;

a first carrier rail having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge, the first carrier rail defining a notch adjacent the second longitudinal edge, the housing biasing the first carrier rail by engaging the first longitudinal edge;

a second carrier rail having a third longitudinal edge and a fourth longitudinal edge, the housing biasing the second carrier rail by engaging the third longitudinal edge, the second longitudinal edge hingably engaging the fourth longitudinal edge, the notch defining an opening adjacent a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;

a slider having a control element extending therefrom, the control element comprising a first control surface and a second control surface, the first control surface comprising a step between a curved surface of the first control surface and the slider, the step to engage the first surface to secure the first and second carrier rails in an open position, the second control surface to engage the second surface to secure the first and second carrier rails in a closed position; and

a lever operatively coupled to the slider to move the slider between a first position and a second position, in the first position, the first control surface to engage the first surface to secure the first and second carrier rails in the open position, in the second position, the second control surface to engage the second surface to secure the first and second carrier rails in the closed position.

18. The binder apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first surface and the second surface comprise first and second edges defining the opening.

Assignments (13)

Continuity (1)