BINDER, AND FILE

Abstract

 A tip end side of an operation lever 4 turns up and down about a base end side and the operation lever 4 is provided between the base end side and the tip end side thereof with a pressing portion 441 for pressing a pressed portion 35 of movable binding rod elements 33 and 34 to restrain the binding rod 3 in closed states. The base end side and the tip end side of the operation lever 4 are disposed to straddle the pressed portion 35 and a turning center of the operation lever 4 is positioned far away, which reduces a turning angle of the operation lever 4.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a binder for a file for binding a plurality of sheets of paper or the like.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] There are various types of files for binding sheets of paper or the like. For example, each of the following Patent Documents discloses a file in which a pair of symmetrically turning binding rod elements forms an annular body for binding the paper or the like. The file is provided with an operation lever and the operation lever is pulled up to open the closed binding rods and is pushed down to close the open binding rods.

[0003] More specifically, each binding rod includes a fixed binding rod element standing on a base and a movable binding rod element turnably supported on the base, and tip end portions of both the binding rod elements open and close with respect to each other. The movable binding rod elements are elastically biased in such a direction as to move away from the fixed binding rod elements. At base end portions of the movable binding rod elements, a crankshaft protruding in a direction crossing a turning axis of the binding rod elements is interposed. On the other hand, the operation lever is substantially in an L shape in a side view and has one end pivoted to swing. A roller is attached to a right-angled portion of the operation lever near a turning axis of the operation lever. The roller performs a function of pressing the crankshaft of the movable binding rod elements to bring the binding rods into closed states.

[0004] If the operation lever is pushed down, an operating force presses the crankshaft through the roller and the movable binding rod elements are connected to the fixed binding rod elements against a biasing force. At this time, a line segment connecting the turning shaft of the operation lever and the roller is substantially orthogonal with the crankshaft, and the binding rods are maintained in the closed states by a toggle action.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-181846

Patent Document 2: International Publication No. WO2005/035265

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In the files in the above examples, it is necessary to turn an operation lever in a large angle to close/open binding rods. Moreover, the flipped-up operation lever comes extremely close to the binding rods in opening the binding rods to obstruct insertion of the binding rods through paper. In the binder described in Patent Document 1, although the operation lever is turned almost 180° to open the binding rods widely so that the operation lever does not interfere with the paper, it is undeniable that an operating range of the operation lever is increased and is troublesome.

[0006] It is an intended object of the present invention, which has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems for the first time, to reduce a turning angle of an operation lever and to enhance usability of a binder.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0007] A binder according to the present invention includes a binding rod which can be opened and closed to bind paper and an operation lever which is displaced between an unlock position for opening the binding rod and a lock position for closing the binding rod. The binding rod includes a first binding rod element and a second binding rod element for turning with respect to the first binding rod element, opens and closes at tip end potions of both the binding rod elements, and is provided with a pressed portion protruding from a base end portion of the second binding rod element in such a direction as to cross a turning axis. The operation lever has a base end side and a tip end side disposed to straddle the pressed portion, the tip end side of the operation lever turns up and down about the base end side, and the operation lever is provided between the base end side and the tip end side thereof with a pressing portion having a downward face for pressing the pressed portion from above to restrain the binding rod in a closed state.

[0008] To bring the binding rod into the open state, the pressing portion of the operation lever needs to be lifted a necessary distance to allow upward turning of the binding rod element. In the present invention, by positioning a turning center of the operation lever far away from the pressing portion (and the pressed portion), it is possible to geometrically lift the pressing portion a necessary and sufficient distance, even if a turning angle of the operation lever is small. With this structure, a large operation of the operation lever need not be carried out unnecessarily. Moreover, it is unnecessary to bring the operation lever extremely close to the binding rod in opening the binding rod, which prevents the operation lever from obstructing insertion of the binding rod through the paper. Since a range of vertical movement of the pressing portion is larger for the same turning angle of the operation lever, the turning angle of the binding rod elements can be increased, i.e., a width of opening of the binding rod can be increased.

[0009] A binder further includes a retaining mechanism for retaining, in the lock position, the operation lever that has reached the lock position, and a second operation portion for releasing retention of the operation lever by the retaining mechanism when the second operation portion is pushed down. Especially, people with upper-limb disabilities may have difficulty in picking up the operation lever with fingers in some cases. Since the binding rod of the binder according to the invention can be closed and opened only by the pushing-down operation and because the pushing-down operation can be carried out by using a body part other than fingers, the binder is highly effective as a universal design. Moreover, it is possible to avoid lifting of the whole file due to the lifting operation of the operation lever.

[0010] It is preferable that the operation lever is elastically biased in a direction from the lock position toward the unlock position.

[0011] If the operation lever is a resin molded article, it is easy to manufacture.

[0012] If the operation lever is attachable to and detachable from a base which is a foothold for the binding rod, it is convenient to separate the members into groups of different materials at the time of recycling or disposal.

[0013] A shaft portion which is a center of turning of the operation lever may be provided to one of the base and the operation lever, a bearing portion in which the shaft portion is inserted in a direction orthogonal to an axis of the shaft portion and held may be provided to the other, and the operation lever may be attached to the base with coming off preventing means for preventing the shaft portion from coming off the bearing portion interposed therebetween. In this case, it is possible to easily detach the operation lever from the base by removing the coming off preventing means.

[0014] Specifically, the coming off preventing means is formed of a rising portion rising from the base and a detachable and attachable portion detachable from and attachable to the operation lever, one of the rising portion and the detachable and attachable portion is provided with a vertically extending slot, and the other is provided with a protrusion housed in the slot and guided by the slot.

[0015] If the detachable and attachable portion is provided with the pressing portion, a shape of the operation lever main body can be simplified.

[0016] The operation lever may be in a hollow shape opened downward and major parts of the rising portion and the detachable and attachable portion may be housed in the operation lever. In this case, the parts are not conspicuously exposed, which adds to the beauty.

[0017] The pressing portion may be integrally molded with the operation lever, which reduces the number of parts and assembly man-hours.

[0018] An opening may be formed in a rising portion rising from the base, and a protrusion inserted into the opening in the rising portion to move up and down along an edge portion of the opening may be integrally molded with the operation lever. With this configuration, the engagement between the rising portion and the protrusion suppresses a rattle of the operation lever against the base.

[0019] If the operation lever is a metal molded article formed by pressing sheet metal, it can be manufactured at a low cost and rigidity thereof can be suitably obtained. Since the binding rod and the base are normally made of metal, it is possible to achieve unity of the whole binder by also providing the operation lever made of metal.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0020] According to the present invention, a turning angle of an operation lever is reduced and usability of a binder is improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] 

FIG.1 is a perspective view of a file employing a binder according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the binder according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an essential portion of the binder.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the binder.

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view of the binder.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the binder.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of the binder.

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the binder.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an essential portion of a file employing a binder according to a modification of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the modification.

FIG. 11 is a front sectional view of the modification.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the modification.

FIG. 13 is a side view of the modification.

FIG. 14 is a side view of the modification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0022] 

1,1x

Binder

3, 3x

Binding rod

35, 35x

Pressed portion

4, 7, 4x

Operation lever

441, 415x

Pressing portion

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0023] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. To simplify the description, a rotation center side of an operation lever 4, 4x is defined as the front and an operation portion 41, 41x side is defined as the rear. FIG. 1 shows a file employing a binder 1 of the present embodiment. The file is formed by attaching the binder 1 for binding a plurality of sheets of paper or the like to an inner face of a cover body 5.

[0024] The cover body 5 is a resin molded article, for example, including a back cover 51, a spine cover 52 connected to a side edge of the back cover 51 through a hinge, and a front cover 53 connected to a side edge of the spine cover 52 through a hinge. In the example shown in the figures, the binder 1 is attached to an inner face of the back cover 51 of the cover body 5 beside the spine cover 52.

[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 8, the binder 1 is mainly formed of a base 2 bonded to the cover body 5, binding rods 3 which rise from the base 2 to form annular bodies for binding paper and which can be opened and closed, and an operation lever 4 to be operated to cause opening and closing operations of the binding rods 3.

[0026] The base 2 is formed by pressing sheet metal, for example, and has cylinder portions 21 and 22 extending in a front-rear direction near a left side edge of the base 2. There are a plurality of cylinder portions 21 and 22 which are spaced apart in the front-rear direction. At a middle portion in a width direction of the base 2, a shaft portion 23 and a rising portion 24 for turnably supporting the operation lever 4 are provided.

[0027] The shaft portion 23 on a front end side of the base 2 rises into a hook shape protruding rearward and has a rear end edge bent into a substantially thin cylindrical shape to function as a support shaft extending in a width direction. The rising portion 24 at a center of the base 2 functions as a stopper for restricting upward movement of the operation lever 4 beyond a certain distance and as one of components of coming off preventing means for preventing the operation lever 4 from coming off the base 2. A slot 25 penetrating the rising portion 24 in the width direction and extending in a vertical direction is formed in the rising portion 24. A part of the slot 25 in a position slightly displaced upward from a middle position is formed as an enlarged hole 251 having a larger groove width than the other part.

[0028] In a position adjacent to a left side of the rising portion 24, a spring 26 compressed from an upper left side to exert an elastic force is mounted. The spring 26 is a thin leaf spring made of metal, for example.

[0029] Moreover, in a position displaced rearward from the rising portion 24, a latch receiver 27 for retaining the operation lever 4 is provided. The latch receiver 27 rises into a hook shape protruding forward.

[0030] The binding rods 3 include first binding rod elements 31 and 32 and second binding rod elements 33 and 34 for turning with respect to the first binding rod elements 31 and 32 and tip end portions of both the binding rod elements 31, 32, 33 and 34 may close and open with respect to each other. In the present embodiment, the pair of binding rods 3 is disposed in front and rear positions. The first and second binding rod elements 31, 32, 33 and 34 are formed respectively by bending metal rods or pipes.

[0031] The first binding rod elements 31 and 32 are immovable elements having base end portions, i.e., lower end portions secured to the base 2, extend generally straight, and slightly curve leftward at positions near the tip ends. The tip ends of the first binding rod elements 31 and 32 are smaller in diameter than other portions. The front first binding rod element 31 stands in a front right corner portion of the base 2 and the rear first binding rod element 32 stands in a rear right corner portion of the base 2.

[0032] The second binding rod elements 33 and 34 extend straight from their base end portions, i.e., lower end portions to their middle portions and then curve wide rightward to form arches. Tip end faces of the second binding rod elements 33 and 34 are recessed so as to be able to house the small diameter portions of the tip ends of the first binding rod elements 31 and 32. The second binding rod elements 33 and 34 are bent in the front-rear direction at their base ends to form turning shafts 331 and 341. Terminal ends of the turning shafts 331 and 341 of the front and rear second binding rod elements 33 and 34 protrude in rightward directions crossing their axes to form a crank shape and are connected through a crankshaft 35. In other words, the second binding rod elements 33 and 34 are integral with each other. The second binding rod elements 33 and 34 are turnably supported on the base 2 with their front and rear turning shafts 331 and 341 housed in the front and rear cylinder portions 21 and 22, respectively. The crankshaft 35 is positioned between the front and rear cylinder portions 21 and 22 and covers the spring 26 from an upper left position. The crankshaft 35 functions as a pressed portion pressed from above by the operation lever 4.

[0033] The operation lever 4 includes a first operation portion, i.e., a lever main body 41 to be displaced between an unlock position for opening the binding rods 3 and a lock position for closing the binding rods 3, a detachable and attachable portion 44 which is detachable from and attachable to the first operation portion 41, a retaining mechanism for retaining, in the lock position, the first operation portion 41 that has reached the lock position, and a second operation portion 42 attached to the first operation portion 41 to release retention of the first operation portion 41 by the retaining mechanism.

[0034] The first operation portion 41 is a resin molded article, for example, forming an outer shell of the operation lever 4 and has a hollow shape opened downward. The first operation portion 41 has a tip end side, i.e., a rear end side for turning up and down about a base end side, i.e., a front end side. Specifically, a bearing portion 411 opened forward in a recessed groove shape in a side view is formed at a front end portion of the first operation portion 41, the shaft portion 23 provided to the base 2 is inserted into the bearing portion 411 in a direction orthogonal to an axis of the shaft portion 23, i.e. from a front side and held in the bearing portion 411 to thereby pivot the first operation portion 41. Then, a middle portion of the first operation portion 41 is mounted on the rising portion 24 of the base 2 with the detachable and attachable portion 44 interposed therebetween.

[0035] The detachable and attachable portion 44 is a resin molded article, for example, sliding along side faces of the rising portion 24 of the base 2. The detachable and attachable portion 44 functions as one of the components of the coming off preventing means for preventing the operation lever 4 from coming off the base 2. Near a lower end of the left side face of the detachable and attachable portion 44, a pressing portion 441 protruding leftward is provided. A downward face of the pressing portion 441 is substantially in a partially cylindrical shape. On front and rear sides of the pressing portion 441, protruding portions 442 and 443 smaller than the pressing portion 441 are provided. Near a lower end of the right side face of the detachable and attachable portion 44, a protrusion 45 protruding rightward is provided. The protrusion 45 includes a base portion 451 extending rightward and an enlarged portion 452 enlarged in the front-rear direction at a tip end portion of the base portion 451, the base portion 451 and the enlarged portion 452 forming a substantially L shape in a bottom view. A front-rear width of the base portion 451 is substantially equal to or slightly smaller than a front-rear width of the slot 25 formed in the rising portion 24 of the base 2. A front-rear width of the enlarged portion 452 is greater than the front-rear width of the slot 25 and is substantially equal to or slightly smaller than a front-rear width of the enlarged hole 251. The protrusion 45 is inserted from a left side into the slot 25 from the enlarged hole 251 in the rising portion 24 and a right side face of the detachable and attachable portion 44 is fitted on the left side face of the rising portion 24. The base portion 451 of the protrusion 45 is guided by the vertically extending slot 25, and therefore the detachable and attachable portion 44 can move up and down with respect to the base 2 in an area in which the slot 25 extends. An upper edge of the detachable and attachable portion 44 slightly bulges rightward like eaves and comes in contact with or comes close to an upper edge of the rising portion 24 when the detachable and attachable portion 44 reaches the lowest position. In an upper end face of the detachable and attachable portion 44, a notch 444 in a wedge shape in a side view is formed.

[0036] In a left side wall of a middle portion of the first operation portion 41, an exposing outlet 413 through which the pressing portion 441 of the detachable and attachable portion 44 can be inserted and exposed leftward and a plurality of recessed portions 414 and 415 in which the respective protruding portions 442 and 443 can be engaged are formed. From an upper wall, a protruding piece 416 which can be engaged in the notch 444 in the upper end face of the detachable and attachable portion 44 protrudes. By utilizing such a configuration, it is possible to attach the detachable and attachable portion 44 to the first operation portion 41. At this time, major parts of the rising portion 24 and the detachable and attachable portion 44 are housed in the first operation portion 41.

[0037] If the detachable and attachable portion 44 is attached to the first operation portion 41, engagement between a rear edge of the protrusion 45 and a rear edge of the slot 25 prohibits rearward displacement of the first operation portion 41, and therefore the shaft portion 23 of the base 2 does not come off the bearing portion 411 of the first operation portion 41. In other words, the operation lever 4 is prevented from coming off the base 2. The front end side and the rear end side of the operation lever 4 attached to the base 2 straddle, in the front-rear direction, the crankshaft 35 which is the pressed portion of the second binding rod elements 33 and 34 (i.e., the front end side is positioned on a back side of the crankshaft 35 and the rear end side is positioned on a front side of the crankshaft 35) and the pressing portion 441 at the middle portion (technically at a position slightly displaced forward from the center in the front-rear direction of the operation lever 4) is positioned directly above the crankshaft 35.

[0038] The retaining mechanism is for retaining the first operation portion 41 on the base 2 with a latch 43. The latch 43 and the second operation portion 42 are an integral member, and the member is housed in the first operation portion 41 and movably supported on the first operation portion 41. The latch 43 and the second operation portion 42 are a narrow plate-shaped body which is a resin molded article, for example. The latch 43 extends downward and has a hook 431 protruding rearward from a lower end portion thereof. A rear edge of the hook 431 is in a shape of a substantially oval arc in a side view. Pins 432 and 433 protrude from left and right side faces near an upper end of the latch 43.

[0039] In positions of the left and right side walls of the first operation portion 41, displaced rearward from the exposing outlet 413 of the pressing portion 441, and near the upper wall, bearing holes 417 and 418 are formed. By inserting the pins 432 and 433 through the bearing holes 417 and 418, the latch 43 and the second operation portion 42 are turnably supported in the first operation portion 41. From an intermediate height position between the pins 432 and 433 and the hook 431 on the front side of the latch 43, an elastic body 434 having a small vertical thickness, slightly curved upward, and formed in a shape of a leaf spring extends up forward. A front end portion of the elastic body 434 comes in contact with the upper wall of the first operation portion 41.

[0040] The second operation portion 42 is connected to a rear side of the latch 43 and extends rearward. An upper face of the second operation portion 42 near a rear end bulges upward and protrudes from a window 412 formed in the upper wall of the first operation portion 41.

[0041] Operation of the binder 1 according to the present embodiment when it is used will be described below. When the first operation portion 41 is lifted up into the unlock position shown in FIG. 8, the binding rods 3 are in open states. In other words, a biasing force of the spring 26 pushes the crankshaft 35 up into an upper left position as shown in a chain line in FIG. 5, the second binding rod elements 33 and 34 turn leftward about the turning shafts 331 and 341, and the tip end portions of the second binding rod elements 33 and 34 move away from the tip end portions of the first binding rod elements 31 and 32.

[0042] If the user lays his/her finger on the finger laying area 411 and pushes down the first operation portion 41, the whole operation lever 4 turns downward about the support shaft 415 to reach the lock position shown in FIG. 6. When the first operation portion 41 is lowered in the lock position, the binding rods 3 are in closed states. In other words, in the process of displacement of the first operation portion 41 toward the lock position, the downward face of the pressing portion 441 of the first operation portion 41 presses the crankshaft 35 and moves the crankshaft 35 down into a lower right position while compressing the spring 26. As a result, the second binding rod elements 33 and 34 turn rightward about the turning shafts 331 and 341 and the tip end portions of the second binding rod elements 33 and 34 are finally connected to the tip end portions of the first binding rod elements 31 and 32, as shown in a solid line in FIG. 5.

[0043] When the first operation portion 41 reaches the lock position, the hook 431 of the latch 43 of the retaining mechanism becomes engaged with the latch receiver 27 of the base 2 to retain the first operation portion 41 in the lock position. When the first operation portion 41 comes close to the lock position, the rear edge of the hook 431 comes in contact with the front edge of the latch receiver 27. If the first operation portion 41 further moves down, the hook 431 is pushed forward by the latch receiver 27, and the latch 43 and the second operation portion 42 turn about the pins 432 and 433 (clockwise in the figure) in the first operation portion 41 in such a manner that the hook 431 escapes from the latch receiver 27, as shown in FIG. 7. Simultaneously, the elastic body 434 with its front end portion in contact with the upper wall of the first operation portion 41 pushes against the upper wall and is elastically deformed to accumulate an elastic force. If the first operation portion 41 completely moves down to the lock position, the rear edge of the hook 431 moves away from the front edge of the latch receiver 27 and the force pushing the hook 431 forward is lost, and therefore the latch 43 and the second operation portion 42 turn reversely about the pins 432 and 433 (counterclockwise in the figure) due to the biasing force of the elastic body 434 and return to original positions. As a result, the hook 431 becomes engaged with the latch receiver 27 from below as shown in FIG. 6.

[0044] If the user lays his/her finger on the finger laying area 421 to push down the second operation portion 42 when the first operation portion 41 is in the lock position, the latch 43 and the second operation portion 42 turn about the pins 432 and 433 (clockwise in the figure) in the first operation portion 41 against the biasing force of the elastic body 434 and the hook 431 is displaced forward and moves away from the latch receiver 27, as shown in FIG. 7. As described above, the spring 26 has been compressed and has accumulated the elastic force for pushing the crankshaft 35 to the upper left position. This means that the first operation portion 41 is elastically biased upward from the lock position toward the unlock position through the pressing portion 441 and the crankshaft 35. Therefore, when the retention due to engagement between the latch 43 and the latch receiver 27 is released, the operation lever 4 swiftly turns upward to reach the unlock position shown in FIG. 8 and the second binding rod elements 33 and 34 turn leftward to bring the binding rods 3 into the open states.

[0045] According to the present embodiment, the binder 1 includes the binding rods 3 which can be opened and closed to bind paper and the operation body 4 which is displaced between the unlock position for opening the binding rods 3 and the lock position for closing the binding rods 3. The binding rods 3 include the first binding rod elements 31 and 32, and the second binding rod elements 33 and 34 for turning with respect to the first binding rod elements 31, open and close at tip end portions of both the binding rod elements 31, 32 and 33, 34, and are provided with the pressed portion 35 protruding from base end portions of the second binding rod elements 33 and 34 in such a direction as to cross the turning axis. The operation lever 4 has a base end side and a tip end side disposed to straddle the pressed portion 35, the tip end side of the operation lever 4 turns up and down about the base end side, and the operation lever 4 is provided between the base end side and the tip end side thereof with the pressing portion 441 having the downward face for pressing the pressed portion 35 from above to restrain the binding rods 3 in the closed states. Therefore, even if the turning angle of the operation lever 4 is small, it is possible to geometrically lift the pressing portion 441 a necessary and sufficient distance. Moreover, it is unnecessary to bring the operation lever 4 extremely close to the binding rods 3 in opening the binding rods 3, which prevents the operation lever 4 from obstructing insertion of the binding rods 3 through the paper. Since a range of vertical movement of the pressing portion 441 is larger for the same turning angle of the operation lever 4, the turning angle of the binding rod elements 33 and 34 can be increased, i.e., a width of opening of the binding rods 3 can be increased.

[0046] The binder further includes the retaining mechanism, in the lock position, for retaining the operation lever 4 that has reached the lock position, and the second operation portion 42 for releasing retention of the operation lever 4 by the retaining mechanism when the second operation portion 42 is pushed down. Therefore, both closing and opening of the binding rods 3 can be carried out by the pushing-down operation with a finger. Especially, people with upper-limb disabilities may have difficulty in picking up the operation lever 4 with fingers in some cases. Since the binding rods 3 of the binder 1 according to the present embodiment can be closed and opened only by the pushing-down operation and because the pushing-down operation can be carried out by using a body part other than fingers, the binder is highly effective as a universal design. Moreover, it is possible to avoid lifting of the whole file due to the lifting operation of the operation lever 4.

[0047] Since the first operation portion 41 is elastically biased in the direction from the lock position toward the unlock position, it is possible to swiftly bring the binding rods 3 into the open states with a single-touch operation or pushing down the second operation portion 42.

[0048] Since the operation lever 4 is the resin molded article, it is easy to manufacture.

[0049] Since the operation lever 4 is attachable to and detachable from the base 2 which is a foothold for the binding rods 3, it is convenient to separate the members into groups of different materials at the time of recycling or disposal.

[0050] The shaft portion 23 which is the center of turning of the operation lever 4 is provided to the base 2, the bearing portion 411 in which the shaft portion 23 is inserted in the direction orthogonal to the axis of the shaft portion 23 and held is provided to the operation lever 4, and the operation lever is attached to the base with the coming off preventing means for preventing the shaft portion 23 from coming off the bearing portion 411 interposed therebetween. Therefore, by removing the coming off preventing means, it is possible to easily detach the operation lever 4 from the base 2.

[0051] The coming off preventing means is formed of the rising portion 24 rising from the base 2 and the detachable and attachable portion 44 detachable from and attachable to the operation lever 4 (first operation portion 41), the rising portion 24 is provided with the vertically extending slot 25, and the detachable and attachable portion 44 is provided with the protrusion 45 housed in the slot 25 and guided by the slot 25, which makes a process of attaching or detaching the operation lever 4 to or from the base 2 easy.

[0052] The detachable and attachable portion 44 is provided with the pressing portion 441, which simplifies a shape of the first operation portion 41.

[0053] The operation lever 4 is in a hollow shape opened downward and major parts of the rising portion 24 and the detachable and attachable portion 44 are housed in the operation lever 4. Therefore, they are not conspicuously exposed, which adds to the beauty.

[0054] The present invention is not limited to the embodiment specifically described above. For example, the bearing portion 411 may be provided to the base and the shaft portion 23 may be provided to the operation lever to pivotally support the operation lever on the base for turning.

[0055] Moreover, the protrusion 45 may be provided to the rising portion 24 of the base, and the slot 25 may be provided to the detachable and attachable portion 44 of the operation lever.

[0056] A binder 1x shown in FIGS. 9 to 14 is characterized in that a first operation portion 41x is a metal molded article. The binder 1x in this example will be described below.

[0057] The binder 1x is mainly formed of a base 2x bonded to a cover body 5, binding rods 3x rising from the base 2x to form annular bodies for binding paper, and an operation lever 4x to be operated to cause opening and closing operations of the binding rods 3x.

[0058] The base 2x is formed by pressing sheet metal, for example, and has cylinder portions 21x and 22x extending in a front-rear direction near a left side edge of the base 2x. The cylinder portions 21x and 22x are spaced in the front-rear direction. At a middle portion in a width direction of the base 2x, a shaft portion 23x and a rising portion 24x for turnably supporting the operation lever 4x are provided.

[0059] The shaft portion 23x on a front end side of the base 2x rises to form a hook protruding rearward and has a rear end edge bent into a substantially thin cylindrical shape to function as a support shaft extending in the width direction. The rising portion 24x at a center of the base 2x functions as a stopper for restricting upward movement of the operation lever 4x beyond a certain distance and performs a function of suppressing a rattle of the operation lever 4x against the base 2x in the width direction. An opening 25x penetrating the rising portion 24x in the width direction is formed in the rising portion 24x. A front edge 25x1 of the opening 25x is in a partial arc shape about a support shaft of the shaft portion 23x in a side view.

[0060] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, in a position adjacent to a left side of the rising portion 24x, a spring 26x compressed from an upper left side to exert an elastic force is mounted. The spring 26x is a metal thin leaf spring, for example.

[0061] In a position displaced rearward from the rising portion 24x, i.e., on an opposite side to the shaft portion 23x, a latch receiver 27x for retaining the operation lever 4x is provided. The latch receiver 27x rises to form a hook protruding forward.

[0062] The binding rods 3x include first binding rod elements 31x and 32x and second binding rod elements 33x and 34x for turning with respect to the first binding rod elements 31x and 32x, and tip end portions of both the binding rod elements 31x, 32x, 33x and 34x open and close with respect to each other. The first and second binding rod elements 31x, 32x, 33x and 34x are formed respectively by bending metal rods or pipes.

[0063] Configurations of the binding rod elements 31x, 32x, 33x, and 34x are similar to those of the elements 31, 32, 33, and 34 of the binding rods 3 in the present embodiment described above. In other words, turning shafts 331x, 341x bent in the front-rear direction are formed at base ends of the second binding rod elements 33x and 34x turning with respect to the first binding rod elements 31x and 32x fixed to the base 2x, and ends of both the turning shafts 331x and 341x are connected by a crankshaft 35x. The turning shafts 331x and 341x are housed in the cylinder portions 21x and 22x provided to the base 2x, respectively. The crankshaft 35x is positioned between the front and rear cylinder portions 21x and 22x to cover the spring 26x from above. The crankshaft 35x functions as a pressed portion to be pressed by the operation lever 4x from above.

[0064] The operation lever 4x includes a first operation portion that is displaced between an unlock position for opening the binding rods 3x and a lock position for closing the binding rods 3x, i.e., a lever main body 41x, a retaining mechanism for retaining, in the lock position, the first operation portion 41x that has reached the lock position, and a second operation portion 42x attached to the first operation portion 41x to release retention of the first operation portion 41x by the retaining mechanism.

[0065] The first operation portion 41 is a metal molded article formed by pressing sheet metal. The first operation portion 41x is in a hollow shape having left and right side walls and an upper wall and opened downward and forms an outer shell of the operation lever 4x. In the example shown in the figures, an area including part of the right side wall in a middle position in the front-rear direction is notched. A rear end side of the first operation portion 41x turns up and down about a front end side of the first operation portion 41x.

[0066] The front end portion of the first operation portion 41x is expanded in the width direction, and bearing portions 413x and 414x in recessed hole shapes in a side view are formed to opened forward in the opposite side walls of the front end portion. The shaft portion 23x of the base 2x is inserted from the front side into the bearing portions 413x and 414x, and then the metal sheets of upper sides of the bearing portions 413x and 414x are curved or bent downward to close the front openings of the bearing portions 413x and 414x. In this way, the first operation portion 41x and eventually the operation lever 4x can be turnably supported about the shaft portion 23x.

[0067] On a left vertical wall 410x at the middle portion in the front-rear direction of the first operation portion 41x, a bent portion 415x is provided. The bent portion 415x bends rightward from a lower end of the vertical wall 410x, then bends again leftward at a right end portion 415x1, and extends farther leftward than the vertical wall 410x, as shown in FIG.11. The front end side and the rear end side of the operation lever 4x straddle, in the front-rear direction, the crankshaft 35x which is the pressed portion of the second binding rod elements 33x and 34x (i.e., the front end side is positioned on a back side of the crankshaft 35x and the rear end side is positioned on a front side of the crankshaft 35x), and the bent portion 415x at the middle portion (technically at a position slightly displaced forward from the center in the front-rear direction of the operation lever 4x) is positioned directly above the crankshaft 35x. A downward face of the bent portion 415x functions as a pressing portion for pressing the crankshaft 35x and the spring 26x. Incidentally, a left end portion 415x2 of the bent portion 415x is slightly curved downward.

[0068] In addition, part of an upward face of the bent portion 415x near the right end portion 415x1 is cut and raised to form a protrusion 416x. The protrusion 416x protrudes slightly farther than the right end portion 415x1 of the bent portion 415x in a rightward direction and bends and rises upward at its right end, as shown in FIG.11. As shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, at least a part 416x1 of the front edge at the right end of the protrusion 416x extends forward. The protrusion 416x is inserted from a left side into the opening 25x formed in the rising portion 24x at the center of the base 2x to move up and down along the front edge 25x1 of the opening 25x as the first operation portion 41x turns. The protrusion 416x comes in contact with an upper edge of the opening 25x to thereby prevent upward movement of the first operation portion 41x beyond a certain distance. Since the right end portion 415x1 of the bent portion 415x and the front edge portion 416x1 of the right end of the protrusion 416x face each other so as to sandwich the rising portion 24x (a peripheral edge portion of the opening 25x of the rising portion 24x) from the left and right sides, engagement between the bent portion 415x, the protrusion 416x, and the rising portion 24x suppresses a rattle of the first operation portion 41x in the width direction against the base 2x.

[0069] In positions of the side walls displaced rearward from the bent portion 415x and near the upper wall, bearing holes 417x and 418x for turnably supporting a latch 43x and a second operation portion 42x, which will be described below, are formed. An upper wall face of the first operation portion 41x near the rear end is set as a finger laying area 411x which a user can lay his/her finger on and push down. In a position displaced forward from the finger laying area 411x, a window 412x vertically penetrating the upper wall is formed.

[0070] The retaining mechanism retains the first operation portion 41x on the base 2x with the latch 43x similarly to the embodiment described above. The latch 43x and the second operation portion 42x are an integral member, and the member is housed in the first operation portion 41x and movably supported in the first operation portion 41x. The latch 43x and the second operation portion 42x are a narrow plate-shaped body which is a resin molded article, for example.

[0071] The latch 43x extends downward and has a hook 431x protruding rearward from its lower end portion. From left and right side faces of the latch 43x near an upper end, pins 432x and 433x protrude. By inserting the pins 432x and 433x into the bearing holes 417x and 418x formed in the left and right side walls of the first operation portion 41x, the latch 43x and the second operation portion 42x can be turnably supported in the first operation portion 41x.

[0072] From an intermediate height position of the front side of the latch 43x between the pins 432x and 433x and the hook 431x, an elastic body 434x in a shape of a thin leaf spring having a small vertical thickness extends up forward. A front end portion of the elastic body 434x comes in contact with the upper wall of the first operation portion 41x.

[0073] The second operation portion 42x is joined to a rear side of the latch 43x and extends rearward x. An upper face near a rear end of the second operation portion 42x bulges upward, protrudes from the window 412x formed in the upper wall of the first operation portion 41x, and is exposed. This exposed portion functions as a finger laying area 421x which the user can lay his/her finger on and push down. The finger laying area 421x of the second operation portion 42x is just in front of and adjacent to the finger laying area 411x of the first operation portion 41x.

[0074] Operations of the binder 1x when it is used will be described. When the first operation portion 41x is lifted up into the unlock position shown in FIG. 13, the binding rods 3x are in open states. In other words, a biasing force of the spring 26x pushes the crankshaft 35x up into an upper left position as shown in a solid line in FIG. 11, the second binding rod elements 33x and 34x turn leftward about the turning shafts 331x and 341x, and the tip end portions of the second binding rod elements 33x and 34x move away from the tip end portions of the first binding rod elements 31x and 32x. At this time, the left end portion 415x2 of the bent portion 415x curved downward is engaged with the crankshaft 35x to prevent further leftward movement of the crankshaft 35x and the second binding rod elements 33x and 34x.

[0075] If the user lays his/her finger on the finger laying area 411x and pushes down the first operation portion 41x, the whole operation lever 4x turns downward about the shaft portion 23x. In the process of displacement of the first operation portion 41x to the lock position, the downward face of the bent portion 415x presses the crankshaft 35 and moves the crankshaft 35x down into a lower right position while compressing the spring 26x. As a result, the second binding rod elements 33x and 34x turn rightward about the turning shafts 331x and 341x, and the tip end portions of the second binding rod elements 33x and 34x are finally connected to the tip end portions of the first binding rod elements 31x and 32x, as shown in a chain line in FIG. 11.

[0076] As the first operation portion 41x approaches the lock position, a rear edge of the hook 431x comes in contact with a front edge of the latch receiver 27x. If the first operation portion 41x further moves down, the hook 431x is pushed forward by the latch receiver 27x, and the latch 43x and the second operation portion 42x turn about the pins 432x and 433x in the first operation portion 41x in such a manner that the hook 431x escapes from the latch receiver 27x. Simultaneously, the elastic body 434x with its front end portion in contact with the upper wall of the first operation portion 41x pushes against the upper wall and is elastically deformed to accumulate the elastic force. If the first operation portion 41x completely moves down, the rear edge of the hook 431x moves away from the front edge of the latch receiver 27x and the force pushing the hook 431x forward is lost, and therefore the latch 43x and the second operation portion 42x turn reversely about the pins 432x and 433x due to the biasing force of the elastic body 434x and return to original positions. As a result, as shown in FIG.14, the hook 431x of the latch 43x of the retaining mechanism becomes engaged with the latch receiver 27x of the base 2x to retain the first operation portion 41x in the lock position. With this configuration, the bent portion 415x restrains the crankshaft 35x and the second binding rod elements 33x and 34x to maintain the binding rods 3x in the closed states.

[0077] If the user lays his/her finger on the finger laying area 421 to push down the second operation portion 42x when the first operation portion 41x is in the lock position shown in FIG. 14, the latch 43x and the second operation portion 42x turn about the pins 432x and 433x in the first operation portion 41x against the biasing force of the elastic body 434x, and the hook 431x is displaced forward and moves away from the latch receiver 27x. As described above, the spring 26x has been compressed and has accumulated the elastic force for pushing the crankshaft 35x to the upper left position. This means that the first operation portion 41x is elastically biased upward from the lock position toward the unlock position through the bent portion 415x and the crankshaft 35x. Therefore, when the retention due to engagement between the latch 43x and the latch receiver 27x is released, the operation lever 4x swiftly turns upward to reach the unlock position shown in FIG. 13 and the crankshaft 35x and the second binding rod elements 33x and 34x released from retention by the bent portion 415x turn leftward to bring the binding rods 3x into the open states.

[0078] According to the example shown in FIGS. 9 to 14, the binder 1x includes the binding rods 3x which can be opened and closed to bind paper and the operation body 4x which is displaced between the unlock position for opening the binding rods 3x and the lock position for closing the binding rods 3x. The binding rods 3x include the first binding rod elements 31x and 32x and 32x and the second binding rod elements 33x and 34x for turning with respect to the first binding rod elements 31x, open and close at tip end portions of both the binding rod elements 31x, 32x and 33x, 34x, and is provided with the pressed portion 35x protruding from base end portions of the second binding rod elements 33x and 34x in such a direction as to cross the turning axis. The operation lever 4x has a base end side and a tip end side disposed to straddle the pressed portion 35x, the tip end side of the operation lever 4 turns up and down about the base end side, and the operation lever 4x is provided between the base end side and the tip end side thereof with the pressing portion 415x having the downward face for pressing the pressed portion 35x from above to restrain the binding rods 3x in the closed states. Therefore, even if the turning angle of the operation lever 4x is small, it is possible to geometrically lift the pressing portion 441x a necessary and sufficient distance. Moreover, it is unnecessary to bring the operation lever 4x extremely close to the binding rods 3x in opening the binding rods 3x, which prevents the operation lever 4x from obstructing insertion of the binding rods 3 through the paper. Since a range of vertical movement of the pressing portion 415x is larger for the same turning angle of the operation lever 4x, the turning angle of the binding rod elements 33x and 34x can be increased, i.e., a width of opening of the binding rods 3x can be increased.

[0079] The binder further includes the retaining mechanism for retaining, in the lock position, the operation lever 4x that has reached the lock position, and the second operation portion 42x for releasing retention of the operation lever 4x by the retaining mechanism when the second operation portion 42x is pushed down. Therefore, both closing and opening of the binding rods 3x can be carried out by the pushing-down operation with a finger. Especially, people with upper-limb disabilities may have difficulty in picking up the operation lever 4x with fingers in some cases. Since the binding rods 3x of the binder 1x according to the present embodiment can be closed and opened only by the pushing-down operation and because the pushing-down operation can be carried out by using a body part other than fingers, the binder is highly effective as a universal design. Moreover, it is possible to avoid lifting of the whole file due to the lifting operation of the operation lever 4x.

[0080] Since the first operation portion 41x is elastically biased in the direction from the lock position toward the unlock position, it is possible to swiftly bring the binding rods 3x into the open states with a single-touch operation of pushing down the second operation portion 42x.

[0081] The pressing portion 415x is integrally molded with the operation lever 4x (the first operation portion 41x of the operation lever 4x), which reduces the number of parts and assembly man-hours.

[0082] The opening 25x is formed in the rising portion 24x rising from the base 2x, and the protrusion 416x inserted into the opening 25x in the rising portion 24x to move up and down along the edge portion of the opening 25x is integrally molded with the operation lever 4x. Therefore, the engagement between the rising portion 24x and the protrusion 416x suppresses a rattle of the operation lever 4x against the base 2x.

[0083] Since the operation lever 4x is the metal molded article formed by pressing the sheet metal, it can be manufactured at a low cost and rigidity thereof can be suitably obtained. Since the binding rods 3x and the base 2x are made of metal, it is possible to achieve unity of the whole binder 1x by also providing the operation lever 4x made of metal.

[0084] Specific structures of other respective portions can be changed in various manners without departing from the gist of the invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0085] According to the present invention, a turning angle of an operation lever is reduced and usability of a binder is improved.

Claims

1. A binder comprising:

a binding rod which can be opened and closed to bind paper; and

an operation lever which is displaced between an unlock position for opening the binding rod and a lock position for closing the binding rod,

wherein the binding rod includes a first binding rod element and a second binding rod element for turning with respect to the first binding rod element, opens and closes at tip end portions of both the binding rod elements, and is provided with a pressed portion protruding from a base end portion of the second binding rod element in such a direction as to cross a turning axis,

the operation lever has a base end side and a tip end side disposed to straddle the pressed portion, the tip end side of the operation lever turns up and down about the base end side, and the operation lever is provided between the base end side and the tip end side thereof with a pressing portion having a downward face for pressing the pressed portion from above to restrain the binding rod in a closed state.

2. A binder according to claim 1 further comprising:

a retaining mechanism for retaining, in the lock position, the operation lever that has reached the lock position; and

a second operation portion for releasing retention of the operation lever by the retaining mechanism when the second operation portion is pushed down.

3. A binder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the operation lever is elastically biased in a direction from the lock position toward the unlock position.

4. A binder according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the operation lever is a resin molded article.

5. A binder according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the operation lever is attachable to and detachable from a base which is a foothold for the binding rod.

6. A binder according to claim 5, wherein a shaft portion which is a center of turning of the operation lever is provided to one of the base and the operation lever, a bearing portion in which the shaft portion is inserted in a direction orthogonal to an axis of the shaft portion and held is provided to the other, and the operation lever is attached to the base with coming off preventing means for preventing the shaft portion from coming off the bearing portion interposed therebetween.

7. A binder according to claim 6, wherein
the coming off preventing means is formed of a rising portion rising from the base and a detachable and attachable portion detachable from and attachable to the operation lever,
one of the rising portion and the detachable and attachable portion is provided with a vertically extending slot, and the other of the rising portion and the detachable and attachable portion is provided with a protrusion housed in the slot and guided by the slot.

8. A binder according to claim 7, wherein the detachable and attachable portion is provided with the pressing portion.

9. A binder according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the operation lever is in a hollow shape opened downward and major parts of the rising portion and the detachable and attachable portion are housed in the operation lever.

10. A binder according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the pressing portion is integrally molded with the operation lever.

11. A binder according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 10, wherein an opening is formed in a rising portion rising from a base which is a foothold of the binding rod and
a protrusion inserted into the opening in the rising portion to move up and down along an edge portion of the opening is integrally molded with the operation lever.

12. A binder according to claim 1, 2, 3,10, or 11, wherein the operation lever is a metal molded article formed by working sheet metal.

13. A file formed by using the binder according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12, wherein
the binder is mounted on an inner face of a cover body formed by connecting a front cover, a spine cover, and a back cover.

Drawing