Improvements in loose leaf binders

Abstract

 A binder (10) for sheet material comprises integrally formed front and rear member (11, 12) respectively. A spine portion (13) is disposed between the front and rear members (11, 12) and is capable of being folded over one edge of the sheet material to be held in the binder, to provide upper and lower spine portions respectively. The front and rear members (11, 12) have upper and lower cover portions (14, 15) respectively, the upper and lower cover portions being capable of being folded rearwards to overlap and be fixed to the adjacent upper and lower spine portions respectively, so that the cover portions cover a holding means which secures the sheet materiaal to the spine portion.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to improvements in loose leaf binders. The securement and presentation of loose leaf documentation in binders has been the subject of much consideration. There are many and varied methods of securing loose leaf documentation in the business and educational fields, however, these methods all have disadvantages. For example, sheets of loose leaf material can be held in ring binders, however, ring binders have the disadvantage of being bulky, relatively expensive and loose leaf sheets are not particularly easy to turn over in a ring binder.

[0002] Loose leaf sheet material may also be simply stapled together or stapled into a paperboard folder, however, this form of presentation is unaesthetic as the staples are exposed and is therefore unprofessional in appearance.

[0003] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a loose leaf binder for sheet material which mitigiates the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0004] According to the invention there is provided a binder for sheet material comprising integral front and rear members characterised in that a spine portion is disposed between said front and rear members and is capable of being folded over one edge of loose leaf sheets to be held in the binder to provide upper and lower spine portions the front and rear members having upper and lower cover portions respectively, the upper and lower cover portions being capable of being folded rearwards to overlap and be fixed to the adjacent upper and lower spine portions respectively, so that the cover portions cover a holding means which secures the sheet material to the spine portion.

[0005] In one embodiment of the invention the upper and lower cover portions are defined by lines of weakening between the spine portion and the front and rear members respectively.

[0006] In another embodiment of the invention the upper and lower cover portions comprise a flap integrally formed with the front and rear members respectively.

[0007] The invention further comprises a binder containing sheet material, the binder comprising integral front and rear members and upper and lower spine portions disposed between said front and rear members, a plurality of sheets of material secured along one edge to the spine portions by a holding means, and upper and lower cover portions fixed to the upper and lower spine portions respectively such that the holding means is covered by the cover portions.

[0008] Preferably the spine portion also has a line of weakening defining the centreline of the spine portion. Further preferbly the lines of weakening comprise crease lines.

[0009] The cover portions preferably have an adhesive surface protected by a removable protective foil, so that in use the cover portions are adhesively fixed to the adjacent faces of the spine portions.

[0010] The sheets of loose leaf material are preferably secured to the spine portion by means of staples.

[0011] Embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a blank for forming a loose leaf binder according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the loose leaf binder at an intermediate stage of construction;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the spine portion of the binder in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a completed construction of one embodiment of the binder according to the invention.

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of another embodiment of a binder according to the invention.

[0012] Referring now to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings wherein similar numerals have been used to indicate like parts, there is shown therein one embodiment of a binder for sheet material generally indicated at 10 according to the invention. The binder 10 which is of a paper, cardboard or plastics material comprises integrally formed front and rear members 11, 12 respectively and includes a spine portion 13 disposed between the front and rear members. Further, the binder 10 has upper and lower cover portions 14, 15 respectively which are defined by lines of weakening 16, 17 and 18, 19 between the spine portion 13 and the front and rear members respectively. The lines of weakening 16, 17, 18, 19 are generally parallel and comprise crease lines. The crease lines 17 and 19 define the boundary of the spine portion 13, and the spine portion 13 further has a crease line 20 which runs parallel to the crease lines 16, 17, 18 and 19 and defines the centreline of the spine portion.

[0013] Each cover portion 14, 15 has an adhesive coating 21 on its outer surface which is protected by a removable protective foil 22.

[0014] In use, the front and rear members 11, 12 are folded inwards towards each other about the centre crease line 20 to define a "U" shaped recess 23 bounded by upper and lower spine portions 24, 25. Next, sheets of loose leaf material, for example paper sheets 26, are inserted into the recess 23 so that the folded spine portion 13 overlaps one edge 27 of the sheet material 26, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The loose leaf sheets 26 of material are then fastened to the spine portion as for example by staples 28.

[0015] The protective foils 22 are then removed from the cover portions 14, 15 to expose the adhesive coatings 21. The cover portions 14, 15 are then folded rearwards towards the centre crease line 20 to overlap the upper and lower spine portions 24, 25 of the spine portion 13. Thus, the staples 28 which fasten the loose leaf sheets 26 to the spine portion 13 are covered by the cover portions 14, 15 to produce an aesthetically pleasing presentation of binder 10 as shown in Figure 4.

[0016] Rather than crease lines, the lines of weakening 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 may otherwise be formed by perforations or by other suitable means. Furthermore, the cover portions 14, 15 need not necessarily have an adhesive coating applied thereto and if desired, this may be applied by the user.

[0017] Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 there is shown another embodiment of the invention in which similar reference numerals have been used to indicate like parts in the first embodiment of the invention. In Figures 5 and 6, the upper and lower cover portions comprise flaps 14ʹ, 15ʹ integrally formed with the front and rear members 11, 12 respectively along a crease line 17ʹ. The flaps 14ʹ 15ʹ each have an adhesive surface 21ʹ protected by a removable protective foil 22. When sheet material 26 has been secured to the spine portion 13 for example by staples 28, the protective foils 22 are removed and the flaps 14ʹ, 15ʹ are then folded rearwards towards the centre crease line 20 to overlap the upper and lower spine portions 24, 25. The front member 11 hinges about the crease line 17ʹ when the binder is being opened.

[0018] The advantages of the binder according to the invention are that it is inexpensive to produce, simple to use and provides a most professional appearance to documentation.

Claims

1. A binder (10) for sheet material (26) comprising integral front and rear members (11, 12) respectively, characterised in that a spine portion (13) is disposed between said front and rear members and is capable of being folded over one edge (27) of loose leaf sheets (26) to be held in the binder to provide upper and lower spine portions (24, 25), the front and rear members (11, 12) having upper and lower cover portions (14, 15) respectively, the upper and lower cover portions being capable of being folded rearwards to overlap and be fixed to the adjacent upper and lower spine portions (24, 25) respectively, so that the cover portions cover a holding means (28) which secures the sheet material (26) to the spine portion.

2. A binder as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the upper and lower cover portions (14, 15) are defined by lines of weakening (16, 17) and (18, 19) respectively between the spine portion (13) and the front and rear members (11, 12) respectively.

3. A binder as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the upper and lower cover portions comprise a flap (14ʹ, 15ʹ) integrally formed with the front and rear members (11, 12) respectively.

4. A binder as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein each cover portion preferably has an adhesive surface (21) protected by a removable protective foil (22), so that in use the cover portions may be adhesively fixed to the respective upper and lower spine portions (24, 25).

5. A binder as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the holding means comprises staples (28).

6. A binder as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the spine portion (13) has a line of weakening (20) defining the centreline of the spine portion.

7. A binder as claimed in Claim 2 or 6 wherein the lines of weakening (16, 17, 18, 19, 20) comprise crease lines or lines of perforations.

8. A binder containing sheet material, the binder comprising integral front and rear members (11, 12) and upper and lower spine portions (24, 25) disposed between said front and rear members, a plurality of sheets of material (26) secured along one edge (27) to the spine portion (13) by a holding means (28), and upper and lower cover portions (14, 15) fixed to the upper and lower spine portions respectively, such that the holding means is covered by the cover portions.

9. A binder as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the binder comprises paper, cardboard or plastic.

Drawing