HK1122771A - Ring binder mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Ring binder mechanism

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to ring binder mechanisms for retaining loose-leaf pages (broadly referred to herein as ring mechanisms), and more particularly to a ring mechanism capable of opening and closing mating ring members and locking the ring members together when the ring members are closed.

Background

Ring mechanisms are commonly used to retain loose-leaf pages, such as punched pages, in a folder or notebook. Ring mechanisms typically have mating ring members that can be selectively opened to add or remove loose-leaf pages or closed together to retain loose-leaf pages while allowing movement of the pages along the ring members. The ring members are mounted on two adjacent (i.e., side-by-side) hinge plates that are connected together along a hinge line to form a pivot axis about which the hinge plates can pivot. The elongated resilient housing loosely supports the hinge plates within the housing and holds the hinge plates together so that they can pivot relative to the housing.

When the hinge plates are in a co-planar position (180 deg.), the housing is slightly narrower than the connected hinge plates. Thus, as the hinge plates pivot through their co-planar positions, they deform the resilient housing and generate a spring force in the housing urging the hinge plates to pivot away from the co-planar position, either opening or closing the ring members. Thus, when the ring members are closed, the spring force resists hinge plate movement and clamps the ring members together. Likewise, when the ring members are open, the spring force holds them apart. An operator can overcome this force, typically by manually pulling the ring members apart or pushing them together. A lever or other actuation system may be provided at one or both ends of the housing for moving the ring members between the open and closed positions. In some ring mechanisms, however, when the ring members are closed, they are not securely locked in their closed position. Thus, if the mechanism is accidentally dropped, the ring members may be accidentally opened.

To this end, some ring mechanisms have been modified to include a locking structure to block the hinge plates from pivoting when the ring members are closed. This locking arrangement reliably locks the closed ring members together, preventing the ring members from inadvertently opening if the ring mechanism is accidentally dropped. The locking arrangement also provides a reduction in housing spring force because a strong spring force is not required to clamp the closed ring members together. Thus, the operator effort required to open and close the ring members is less than in conventional ring mechanisms.

The partial ring mechanism couples the locking structure to a control slide that is connected to the control handle. The lever moves the control slide (and its locking structure) to either block pivoting of the hinge plates or allow rotation thereof. However, the operator must positively move the lever after closing the ring members to position the locking structure to block the hinge plates and lock the closed ring members. Failure to perform this process will cause the hinge plates to accidentally pivot and open the ring members, especially if the mechanism is accidentally dropped.

Some locking ring mechanisms use a spring to move the locking structure to a position blocking the hinge plates when the ring members are closed. Examples of these are found in U.S. patent applications 10/870801(Cheng et al), 10/905606(Cheng) and 11/027550 (Cheng). These mechanisms use a separate spring-lock ring mechanism.

Thus, there is a need for a simple ring binder mechanism that can easily lock ring members together when the mechanism is closed, without the need for additional spring members to accomplish this.

In addition, some locking ring binder mechanisms are configured such that the control slide may jam when the ring binder mechanism is operated, which makes it difficult to open the rings of the ring binder mechanism. Accordingly, there is also a need for a ring binder mechanism that avoids jamming of the control slide.

Disclosure of Invention

In one embodiment, a ring binder mechanism for retaining loose-leaf pages generally comprises a housing and at least one ring for retaining the loose-leaf pages. Each ring includes first and second ring members configurable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the first and second ring members form a generally continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf pages retained by the rings to be moved along the rings from one ring member to the other. In the open position, the first and second ring members form a discontinuous, open ring for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the ring. A hinge mechanism is operatively connected to the ring members for configuring the ring members between their open and closed positions. The hinge mechanism generally includes a pair of elongate hinge plates supported in the housing for pivotal movement relative to the housing between a first hinge plate position corresponding to the closed position of the ring members and a second hinge plate position corresponding to the open position of the ring members. Each of the hinge plates has a free end and a line of weakness formed thereon proximate the free end to facilitate bending of the hinge plates. The actuator is movable between a first position corresponding to a closed position of the ring members and a second position corresponding to an open position of the ring members. The actuator generally includes bearing surfaces engageable with the hinge plates proximate their free ends as the actuator moves from its first position to its second position such that the hinge plates bend proximate their free ends to delay the pivoting motion of the hinge plates as the actuator initially moves from its first position toward its second position.

In another embodiment, a ring binder mechanism for retaining loose-leaf pages generally comprises a housing and at least one ring for retaining the loose-leaf pages. Each ring includes first and second ring members configurable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, the first and second ring members form a generally continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf pages retained by the rings to be moved along the rings from one ring member to the other. In the open position, the first and second ring members form a discontinuous, open ring for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the ring. A hinge mechanism is operatively connected to the ring members for configuring the ring members between their open and closed positions. The hinge mechanism generally includes a pair of elongate hinge plates supported in the housing for pivotal movement relative to the housing between a first hinge plate position corresponding to the closed position of the ring members and a second hinge plate position corresponding to the open position of the ring members. Each of the hinge plates has a free end and is configured to have a first width, a second width narrower than the first width and closer to the free end of the hinge plate than the first width, and a third width greater than the second width and closer to the free end of the hinge plate than the second width to facilitate bending of the hinge plate generally at the second width. The actuator, which is movable between a first position corresponding to the closed position of the ring members and a second position corresponding to the open position of the ring members, generally includes bearing surfaces engageable with the hinge plates proximate their free ends as the actuator moves from its first position to its second position such that the hinge plates bend proximate their free ends generally at the second width to delay pivoting motion of the hinge plates when the actuator initially moves from its first position toward its second position.

Other features of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a perspective of a notebook incorporating a ring binder mechanism of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the ring mechanism;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the lever of the ring mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a top side perspective of the ring mechanism in a closed and locked position with the lever in a first relaxed position;

FIG. 5 is a bottom side perspective of the ring mechanism;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of the ring mechanism with a portion of the housing broken away and with ring members removed to show internal construction;

FIG. 7 is a side view thereof with the housing and ring members removed;

FIG. 8 is a top side perspective of the ring mechanism in a closed unlocked position with the lever in a deformed position;

FIG. 9 is a bottom side perspective thereof;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation thereof with the housing and ring members removed;

FIG. 11 is a top side perspective of the ring mechanism in an open position with the lever in a second relaxed position;

FIG. 12 is a bottom side perspective thereof;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation thereof with the housing and ring members removed to show internal construction;

FIG. 14 is a top side perspective of the second embodiment ring mechanism of the present invention in a closed and locked position;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged top side perspective of the control handle thereof;

FIG. 16 is a side view of the ring mechanism;

FIG. 17 is a bottom side perspective of the third embodiment ring mechanism of the present invention in a closed and locked position;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged side view of the lever thereof;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the ring mechanism with the housing and ring members removed;

FIG. 20 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation similar to FIG. 19 with the ring mechanism in a closed and unlocked position;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation similar to FIG. 19 with the ring mechanism in an open position;

FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of a ring mechanism according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a hinge plate used therein;

FIG. 24 is a plan view of the hinge plate shown in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of the ring mechanism with a portion of the housing broken away and with ring members removed to show internal construction;

FIG. 26 is a side elevational view thereof with the housing removed to show the ring mechanism in a closed and locked position;

FIG. 27 is a bottom side perspective of the ring mechanism in the closed and locked position;

FIG. 28 is a side view of the ring mechanism with the housing removed to show the ring mechanism in an intermediate position;

FIG. 29 is a bottom side perspective of the ring mechanism in an intermediate position, and FIG. 29A is an enlarged view of the circled portion of FIG. 29;

FIG. 30 is a side view of the ring mechanism with the housing removed to show the ring mechanism in an open and unlocked position;

FIG. 31 is a bottom side perspective of the ring mechanism in the unlocked position;

FIG. 32 is an exploded perspective view of a fifth embodiment ring mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 33 is a perspective view of a hinge plate used therein;

FIG. 34 is a plan view of the hinge plate shown in FIG. 33;

FIG. 35 is a side view of the ring mechanism with the housing removed to show the ring mechanism in an intermediate position;

FIG. 36 is an exploded perspective view of a ring mechanism according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 37 is a bottom side perspective of the ring mechanism shown in FIG. 36;

FIG. 38 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the ring mechanism illustrated in FIG. 36, showing the ring mechanism in a closed and locked position;

FIG. 39 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the ring mechanism illustrated in FIG. 36, showing the ring mechanism in an intermediate position during opening; and

FIG. 40 is a partial side view of the ring mechanism of FIG. 36, showing the ring mechanism in an open and unlocked position.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

Detailed Description

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1-13 a ring mechanism 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the ring mechanism 1 is shown mounted on a notebook 3. Specifically, the illustrated ring mechanism 1 is mounted on the spine 5 between the front and back covers 7, 9 of the notebook 3, with the front and back covers 7, 9 being hingedly mounted to the spine 5. The front and back covers 7 and 9 move to selectively cover or expose loose-leaf pages (not shown) held by the ring mechanism 1 in the notebook 3. A ring mechanism mounted on a surface other than a notebook, such as a file folder, does not depart from the scope of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 11 supports three rings (each generally designated 13) and a lever (broadly referred to as an "actuator" and generally designated 15). The rings 13 retain loose-leaf pages on the ring mechanism 1 in the notebook 3 while the lever 15 is operable to open and close the rings so that loose-leaf pages can be added or removed. Referring also to fig. 2, the housing 11 is in the shape of an elongated rectangle having a uniform, generally arcuate cross-section and having a substantially flat plateau 17 at its center. A first longitudinal end (left side in fig. 1 and right side in fig. 2) of the housing 11 is generally open, while an opposite second longitudinal end is generally closed. A pair of mounting arms 19 (fig. 2 and 4) extend downwardly from the housing flat top 17 at the open end, and a bent bottom edge 21 (fig. 2 and 5) extends lengthwise along the longitudinal edge of the housing 11 from a first longitudinal end to a second longitudinal end of the housing. Ring mechanisms having housings of other shapes, including irregular shapes, or housings that are integral with a file or notebook do not depart from the scope of this invention.

The three rings 13 of the ring mechanism 1 are substantially identical, each being substantially circular (e.g. fig. 1, 4 and 5). As shown in fig. 1 and 2, each ring 13 comprises two generally semi-circular ring members 23a, 23b made of a conventional cylindrical bar of suitable material (e.g., steel). The ring members 23a, 23b include free ends 25a, 25b, respectively, that are formed to prevent lateral misalignment of the ring members (relative to the longitudinal axes of the ring members) when the ring members are closed together (see FIGS. 1, 4, and 5). The ring 13 may be D-shaped as is known in the art and is within the scope of the invention. Ring mechanisms having ring members made of different materials or having different cross-sectional shapes, such as oval, do not depart from the scope of this invention.

As also shown in FIG. 2, the ring mechanism 1 includes two generally identical hinge plates 27a, 27b that support the ring members 23a, 23b, respectively. Each hinge plate 27a, 27b is generally elongate, flat, rectangular in shape, and is slightly shorter in length than the housing 11. 4 respective cutouts 29a, 29b, 29c, 29d are formed in each hinge plate 27a, 27b along the inner longitudinal edge margins of the hinge plates. Each hinge plate 27a, 27b has a longitudinal free end that forms a longitudinally extending finger 31 (i.e., extending to the right in FIG. 2), and in the illustrated embodiment is a downwardly curved finger (i.e., curved at an angle relative to the remainder of the hinge plates). Each finger 31 is narrower in width than the respective hinge plates 27a, 27b and is positioned with their inner longitudinal edge margins generally aligned with the inner longitudinal edge margins of the hinge plates. The purpose of the notches 29a, 29b, 29c, 29d and the fingers 31 will be explained below.

Referring to fig. 2 and 3, the lever 15 includes an inverted "L" shaped handle 33, a body 35 (a first portion) mounted on the handle, and a tongue 37 (a second portion) mounted on the body. The handle 33 is slightly wider than the body 35 and tongue 37 (FIG. 2) to facilitate grasping the lever 15 and applying force to move the lever. In the illustrated ring mechanism 1, the body 35 is formed integrally with the handle 33 so as to move generally in conjunction with the handle. The body 35 may be formed separately from the handle 33 and attached thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, the tongue 37 of the lever 15 is mounted to the body 35 by a flexible bridge 39 (broadly, "living hinge") formed integrally with the body 35 and tongue 37. A ring mechanism in which the bridge portion of the lever is formed separately from the body and/or tongue portion and joined together does not depart from the scope of the present invention. The bridge 39 is generally arcuate and forms an open slot 41 between the tongue 37 and the body 35. The tongue 37 extends away from the body 35 at the bridge 39 and the slot 41, is aligned substantially parallel to the upper lip 35a, and forms a C-shaped space between the body 35 and the tongue 37 (i.e., above the bridge). It is conceivable that the lever 15 is made of resilient plastic, for example by a moulding process. It is within the scope of the invention that the lever 15 may be made of other materials or other processes. A ring mechanism having a lever of a different shape than illustrated and described herein does not depart from the scope of the present invention.

Referring also to FIG. 3, the lever 15 also includes a pivot bulb 43 at an end of the tongue 37 opposite the bridge 39, with an upper bearing surface (as viewed in FIG. 3) of the bulb 43 bearing against the hinge plates to open the ring mechanism as shown in more detail below. The ridge 43 may be separate from the tongue 37 and releasably attached to the tongue by a tab (not shown) that passes through an opening (not shown) in the tongue. As a further example, the bulge 43 may be formed integrally with the tongue 37 within the scope of the invention. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the ridge 43 may be omitted entirely, in which case the bearing surface would be part of the tongue 37 itself.

Referring to FIG. 2, the ring mechanism 1 further includes an elongated, generally flat, rectangular travel bar 45 (broadly forming, at least in part, a "locking system" for the ring mechanism). The travel bar 45 has a rectangular mounting slot 47 at a first end (right side in fig. 2) and three block-shaped locking members 49 along a bottom surface. The locking members 49 are spaced longitudinally along the travel bar 45 so that there is one locking member near each longitudinal end of the travel bar and one locking member is located near the center of the travel bar. It is within the scope of the present invention for travel bar 45 to have other shapes or a number of locking members 49 greater or less than three. The travel bar 45 may be devoid of locking elements and instead may carry, for example, wedges that move the hinge plates 27a, 27 b.

The locking members 49 of the travel bar 45 are shown as having a generally similar shape, respectively. As best shown in fig. 7, 10, 12 and 13, each locking member 49 includes a narrow flat bottom portion 53 and generally vertical side portions 55a-55 d. The side 55a facing away from the lever 15 is inclined and the lateral sides 55b and 55d converge towards their bottom to form a narrow flat bottom 53. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking feature 49 is integrally formed with the travel bar 45, such as by a molding process. The locking member 49 may be formed separately from the travel bar 45 and attached thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition, locking features of different shapes, such as block-shaped (i.e., without angled or converging sides), are also within the scope of the present invention.

The assembled ring mechanism 1 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4-7, in which the ring members 23a, 23b of the illustrated ring mechanism are in a closed position and the lever 15 is in an upright position. The lever 15 is pivotally mounted at an open first end of the housing 11 at a mounting arm 19 of the housing (fig. 4-6). A mounting hole 57 (fig. 2) on each mounting arm 19 is aligned with the slot 41 of the lever 15. A hinge pin 59 extends through the aligned holes 57 and slots 41 to pivotally mount the lever 15 to the housing 11. It will be seen that the mounting arms 19 are formed integrally with the housing 11, but they may be formed separately from and mounted on the housing without departing from the scope of the invention.

As shown in fig. 6, the travel bar 45 is disposed within the housing 11 behind the housing plateau 17. It extends along the length of the housing 11 and is oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis LA of the housing (see fig. 2) with the locking member 49 extending away from the housing. Two elongated openings 61 (only one visible in fig. 6; see fig. 2) through travel bar 45 are aligned with two rivet openings 63 (only one visible in fig. 6; see fig. 2) of housing flat top 17. Notched rivets 65 (only one of which is visible in FIG. 6; see FIG. 2) are secured to the housing 11 at rivet openings 63 and pass through corresponding elongated openings 61 of the travel bar 45 to vertically support the travel bar within the housing. The travel bar 45 fits in a recess in the rivet 65 so that it can slide translationally relative to the rivet longitudinally along the housing.

Referring to fig. 6 and 7, the travel bar 45 is operatively connected to the lever 15 by an intermediate connector 67 (also broadly forming, in part, a locking system). In the illustrated embodiment, the intermediate connector 67 is a wire bent into an elongated, generally rectangular shape (see fig. 2). It is within the scope of the present invention that the intermediate connector 67 may have other shapes or be made of other materials. The first end of the intermediate connector 67 is open and includes two free ends 69a, 69b (see FIG. 2) that can fit within apertures 71a, 71b (only aperture 71b is visible in FIG. 3) in the body 35 of the lever 15 to form a pivotal connection. The second closed end of the intermediate connector 67 narrows and includes a curved end 73 that can fit into the mounting slot 47 of the travel bar 45 (fig. 2). The curved end 73 secures the intermediate connector 67 to the travel bar 45 at the mounting slot 47 to push against or pull against the travel bar. The bent end 73 pivots the intermediate connector 67 relative to the travel bar 45 to accommodate the small vertical movement of the intermediate connector that occurs when the lever 15 is pivoted. Ring binder mechanisms without intermediate connectors (e.g., a travel bar pivotally connected directly to a lever) do not depart from the scope of this invention.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the hinge plates 27a, 27b are interconnected in a parallel arrangement along their inner longitudinal edge margins, forming a central hinge 75 having a pivot axis. This is done in a conventional manner well known in the art. The hinge plates 27a, 27b may pivot up and down about hinge 75, as described below. The 4 cutouts 29a-29d (FIG. 2) in each of the two individual hinge plates 27a, 27b align to form 4 openings, also designated 29a-29d (FIG. 5), in the interconnected hinge plates. The housing 11 supports the interconnected hinge plates 27a, 27b within the housing below the travel bar 45. The outer longitudinal edge margins of the hinge plates 27a, 27b loosely fit within the bent under rims 21 of the housing 11 for allowing the hinge plates to move within the rims when they pivot. As shown in FIG. 7, the fingers 31 of the hinge plates 27a, 27b (only one hinge plate 27a is shown) extend into the C-shaped space formed between the tongue 37 and the upper lip 35a of the lever body 35, causing the lower surfaces of the hinge plates to engage the upper bearing surface of the lever bulb 43. Note that the various components of the ring binder mechanism are configured such that the bearing surfaces of the ridges 43 remain in contact with the lower surfaces of the hinge plates 27a, 27b (i.e., the lower surfaces of the fingers 31) when the ring binder mechanism is in the closed position. Advantageously, this eliminates lever play (and thus rattle) in the mechanism when it is in the closed position and gives the mechanism a good handling feel. (if the lever does not include a boss, the various components of the ring mechanism are configured so that the bearing surface of the tongue 37 itself will be in continuous contact with the lower surface of the hinge plates).

Each ring member 23a, 23b is mounted on an upper surface of a respective one of the hinge plates 27a, 27b in a generally opposed manner with the free ends 25a, 25b facing each other (see FIG. 2). The ring members 23a, 23b pass through respective openings 77 along the sides of the housing 11 so that the free ends 25a, 25b of the ring members can be engaged over the housing (see FIG. 4). The ring members 23a, 23b are rigidly connected to the hinge plates 27a, 27b, as is well known in the art, and move with the hinge plates 27a, 27b as they pivot. Although in the illustrated ring mechanism 1 the two ring members 23a, 23b of each ring 13 are each mounted on one of the two hinge plates 27a, 27b and move with the pivoting movement of the hinge plates, a ring mechanism having one movable ring member and one fixed ring member per ring does not depart from the scope of this invention (e.g., a mechanism in which only one ring member of each ring is mounted on a hinge plate and the other ring member is mounted on a housing, for example).

As shown in FIG. 5, two mounting posts 79a, 79b (see also FIG. 2) are secured to the illustrated ring mechanism 1 for mounting the ring mechanism in any suitable manner, such as on a notebook 3 (FIG. 1). The posts 79a, 79b are attached to the housing 11 at mounting post openings 81a, 81b (FIG. 2) of the plateau 17 at the longitudinal ends of the housing. A first mounting post 79a (on the left in FIG. 5) passes through the intermediate connector 67 and through the mounting post openings 29d of the interconnected hinge plates 27a, 27 b.

The operation of the ring mechanism 1 will be described with reference to fig. 4 to 13. As is known, the hinge plates 27a, 27b pivot downward and upward relative to the housing 11 and move the ring members 23a, 23b mounted thereon between a closed position (e.g., FIGS. 1 and 4-10) and an open position (e.g., FIGS. 11-13). The hinge plates 27a, 27b are wider than the housing 11 when in the co-planar position (180), so that they deform the housing and create a small spring force in the housing as they pivot through the co-planar position. The housing spring force biases the hinge plates 27a, 27b to pivot downward or upward away from the co-planar position. The ring members 23a, 23b close when the hinge plates 27a, 27b pivot downward (i.e., the hinge 75 moves away from the housing 11 (e.g., FIG. 5)). The ring members 23a, 23b open when the hinge plates 27a, 27b pivot upward (i.e., the hinge 75 moves toward the housing 11 (e.g., FIG. 12)).

In fig. 4-7, the ring mechanism 1 is in a closed and locked position. The hinge plates 27a, 27b hinge downward away from the housing 11, closing the ring members 23a, 23b of each ring 13 together in a continuous ring to retain loose-leaf pages. The lever 15 is vertical relative to the housing 11 and is in a first relaxed position (the lever is also in this position in FIG. 3) in which the contact surface of the lever (i.e., the top of the lever bulb) is continuously engaged with the lower surfaces of the hinge plates 27a, 27 b. The locking elements 49 of the travel bar 45 are positioned above the hinge plates 27a, 27b in general alignment with the hinge joint 75 so that their narrow flat bottom portions 53 contact the upper surfaces of the hinge plates. As shown in FIG. 5, the locking feature 49 is positioned immediately adjacent the corresponding locking feature opening 29a-29c, but is not substantially aligned with the opening 29a-29 c. The travel bar 45 (which is vertically supported by the grooved rivets 65) and locking elements 49 resist any force that pivots the hinge plates 27a, 27b upward to open the ring members 23a, 23b (i.e., they lock the ring members closed).

To unlock the ring mechanism 1 and open the ring members 23a, 23b, the operator applies force to the handle 33 of the lever 15 and pivots it counterclockwise (as viewed in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7). 8-10, the handle 33 and body 35 of the lever 15 move relative to the tongue 37, and the tongue 37 is held stationary by the hinge plates 27a, 27b by the spring force of the housing 11. The intermediate connector 67 simultaneously moves with the main body 35 and transfers the pivotal movement of the lever 15 about the mounting post 79a to the travel bar 45. The travel bar slides toward the lever 15 and moves the locking elements 49 into alignment with the corresponding locking element openings 29a-c of the hinge plates 27a, 27 b. When the open slot 41 is closed and the body 35 is engaged with the tongue 37, the bridge 39 between the lever body 35 and the lever tongue 37 flexes and stretches (fig. 10). If the lever 15 is released before the hinge plates 27a, 27b pivot upward past their co-planar position (i.e., before the ring members 23a, 23b open), the tension in the bridge 39 automatically springs (and pushes) the handle 33 and body 35 back to the vertical position, moving the travel bar 45 and locking elements 49 to the locked position.

The now closed lever slot 41 no longer decouples the tongue 37 from the pivotal movement of the handle 33 and body 35. Continued opening movement of the lever 15 (i.e., in a counterclockwise direction) causes the body 35 to pivot the tongue 37 together. The lever bulb 43 pivots the interconnected hinge plates 27a, 27b upward over the locking elements 49 at the locking element openings 29a-29c and relative to the mounting post 79a at the mounting post opening 29 d. Once the hinge plates 27a, 27b have just passed the co-planar position, the housing spring force pushes them upward, opening the ring members 23a, 23b (FIGS. 11-13) and moving the ring binder mechanism to the open position. The lever 15 can be released. The pulling force of the bridge 39 springs the handle 33 and body 35 back away from the tongue 37, and the tongue 37 is held stationary against the hinge plates 27a, 27b by the lever bulb 43 engaging the lower surfaces of the hinge plates. The slot 41 opens and the travel bar 45 moves slightly away from the lever 15. The lever is again relaxed to a second relaxed position (e.g., FIG. 3) substantially the same as the first relaxed position, and the locking elements 49 are positioned within the respective hinge plate openings 29a-29c and are free of any forces tending to move them relative to the housing 11. Note that the various components of the ring mechanism are configured so that the sides 55a of the locking elements 49 facing away from the lever 15 abut the opposite edges of the hinge plate locking element openings 29a-29c, i.e., the tabs 83 at the locking element opening edges. Advantageously, this may prevent the lever from pivoting back to the locked position. In other words, this eliminates play in the ring binder mechanism when the mechanism is in the open unlocked position.

To close the ring members 23a, 23b and return the ring mechanism 1 to the locked position, an operator may manually push the free ends 25a, 25b of the ring members together. The hinge plates 27a, 27b pivot downward and cause the lever tongue 37 to rotate clockwise (as viewed in FIGS. 11 and 13). The tongue 37 moves relative to the handle 33 and body 35, and the handle 33 and body 35 are held stationary by the locking member 49 abutting against the tab 83 (fig. 13). The lever slot 41 closes (and the lever bridge 39 flexes) causing the hinge plates 27a, 27b to pivot through the co-planar position and past the narrow bottom portions 53 of the locking elements 49. As the hinge plates 27a, 27b move downward, the angled sides 55a of the locking elements 49 cause the locking elements to move more and more away from the lever 15 and out of the respective openings 29a-29 c. This causes the lever 15 to pivot slightly with the tongue 37 when the lever slot 41 is closed. The inclined sides of the locking member are not necessary for operation.

Once the hinge plates 27a, 27b clear the bottom 53 of the locking elements 49, the tongue 37 pushes the body 35 and handle 33 to the vertical position and the travel bar 45 and locking elements 49 move to the locked position. It is within the scope of the invention that the ring members 23a, 23b of the ring mechanism 1 may be closed by a modified lever that can engage the hinge plates 27a, 27b and pivot them downward.

It will be appreciated that the flexibility of the lever bridge 39 allows the handle 33 and body 35 of the lever 15 to move relative to the tongue 37. This moves the lever 15 between a relaxed position (fig. 3-7 and 11-13) and a deformed (broadly, "reset") position (fig. 8-10). The deformed position of the lever 15 is an unstable, intermediate position in which the bridge 39 is stretched to always move the handle 33, body 35 and tongue 37 to the relaxed position (i.e., to reconfigure the lever).

When the lever 15 pivots to open the ring members 23a, 23b, the travel bar 45 and locking elements 49 move immediately and before the tongue 37 and bulb 43 pivot the hinge plates 27a, 27b upward (although the bulb 43 is in continuous contact with the bottom surfaces of the hinge plates). This lost motion caused by the open slots 41 causes the locking elements 49 to move into alignment with the locking element openings 29a-29c of the hinge plates 27a, 27b prior to pivoting of the hinge plates so that they (locking elements 49) do not interfere with the desired pivoting motion of the hinge plates 27a, 27 b. After the locking elements 49 are moved into alignment with the respective openings 29a-29c, the slot 41 is closed and the handle 33, body 35 and tongue 37 pivot together to move the hinge plates 27a, 27b upward.

Further, when the ring members 23a, 23b are open and the lever 15 is relaxed, the locking members 49 and travel bar 45 are not subjected to forces that would move them to the locked position. Thus, when an operator adds or removes loose-leaf pages from the ring members 23a, 23b, the open ring members 23a, 23b are not inadvertently closed under the influence of the lever 15, locking members 49, or travel bar 45.

Likewise, when the ring members 23a, 23b are moved to the closed position, the lever slot 41 allows the hinge plates 27a, 27b to pivot downward on the locking elements 49 before the handle 33 and body 35 of the lever 15 push the travel bar 45 and locking elements 49 to the locked position. Thus, this lost motion caused by the open slot 41 maintains continued engagement between the lever tongue 37 and the hinge plates 27a, 27b (via the lever bulb 43) without the risk of the ring mechanism jamming in the open position (as may occur when the lever tongue cannot move downward with the hinge plates because the locking elements 49 wedge against the edges of the locking element openings 29a-29c of the hinge plates, preventing the hinge plates from pivoting further downward). The continued engagement between the lever tongue 37 and the lower surfaces of the hinge plates 27a, 27b (via the lever bulb 43) ensures that when the hinge plates 27a, 27b pivot downward (and the ring members 23a, 23b close), the handle 33 and body 35 of the lever 15 are moved sufficiently to their vertical positions, and the travel bar 45 and locking elements 49 are moved sufficiently to the locked position.

Thus, the ring mechanism 1 is effective in retaining loose-leaf pages when the ring members 23a, 23b are closed, and can prevent the closed ring members 23a, 23b from inadvertently opening. The lever 15 positions the travel bar 45 and its locking members 49 in the locked position when the ring members 23a, 23b are closed, eliminating the need to manually move the lever 15 to securely lock the ring mechanism 1. The ring mechanism 1 incorporating the locking lever 15 does not require additional biasing components (e.g., springs) to perform the locking operation and does not require specially formed parts to accommodate these biasing components.

FIGS. 14-16 show a ring binder mechanism 101 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The ring mechanism 101 is substantially identical to the ring mechanism 1 of the first embodiment described previously and shown in figures 1 to 13, and parts of the ring mechanism 101 corresponding to parts of the ring mechanism 1 are given the same reference numerals, plus "100". The lever 115 of the second embodiment has a low profile because it includes a generally flat handle 133. The lever 115 is mounted on the housing 111 (fig. 14 and 16) as previously described for the ring mechanism 1 of fig. 1-13, with the flattened handle 133 disposed generally in alignment with (i.e., generally coplanar with) the plateau 117 of the housing. In other respects, including operation, the ring mechanism 101 is identical to the ring mechanism 1 of fig. 1-13.

17-21 show a ring binder mechanism 201 according to a third embodiment of the invention. Parts of the ring mechanism 201 which correspond to parts of the ring mechanism 1 of the first embodiment of figures 1 to 13 are given the same reference numerals, plus "200". The ring mechanism 201 is substantially identical to the ring mechanism 1 of FIGS. 1-13, except that the required lost motion is provided by the bending of the hinge plates 227a, 227b, rather than by the specific structure and operation of the actuator (e.g., lever 215). Specifically, the lever 215 of the third embodiment is devoid of bridges and slots between the body 235 and the tongue 237. The other components of the ring mechanism 201 and the assembly of the components are substantially the same as for the ring mechanism 1 of fig. 1-13.

The operation of the ring mechanism 201 will be described with reference to the enlarged partial views of fig. 19-21. In fig. 19, the ring mechanism 201 is in a closed and locked position (similar to the closed position of the ring mechanism 1 of fig. 1-13). To unlock the ring mechanism 201 and open the ring members 223a, 223b, the operator pivots the lever 215 outward and downward (counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 19). The lever body 235 pulls the travel bar 245 and locking elements 249 toward the lever 215, and the lever bulb 243 simultaneously pushes upward on the hinge plates 227a, 227b (only one hinge plate 227a is shown). The locking elements 249, which remain behind the hinge plates 227a, 227b, resist their upward movement. Thus, as the lever 215 continues to pivot, the lever bulb 243 flexes or bends (and thus stretches) the hinge plates 227a, 227b immediately adjacent the free ends of the hinge plates, e.g., at the fingers 231 (FIG. 20).

Once the locking elements 249 (only one locking element is shown) are moved into alignment with the locking element openings 229a-229c (only opening 229c is shown) of the hinge plates 227a, 227b, the stretched hinge plates immediately pivot upward through the co-planar position (FIG. 21) to open the ring members 223a, 223b (which are not shown in FIG. 21, see FIG. 17). Tension in the hinge plates 227a, 227b is relieved and the lever 215 can be released. The ridges 243 of the tongue 237 maintain engagement with the lower surfaces of the hinge plates 227a, 227b, and the spring force of the housing 211 maintains the hinge plates hinged upward. The locking elements 249 are statically positioned within the respective hinge plate cutout openings 229a-229c and are not subjected to forces that would move them to the locked position.

As in the ring mechanism 1 of FIGS. 1-13, to close the ring members 223a, 223b of the ring mechanism 201 and return the mechanism to the locked position (FIG. 19), the operator manually pushes the free ends 225a, 225b of the ring members together. In the ring mechanism 201, the hinge plates 227a, 227b pivot downward and cause the lever bulb 243 and tongue 237 to rotate clockwise (as viewed in FIG. 21). The locking elements 249 momentarily prevent movement of the lever 215, and thus downward movement of the hinge plates 227a, 227b, causing the hinge plates 227a, 227b adjacent their fingers 231 to flex slightly. The hinge plates 227a, 227b bend downward while the lever 215 and fingers 231 remain relatively stationary. As the hinge plates 227a, 227b bend, the angled sides 255a of the locking elements 249 allow the locking elements to move a small amount away from the lever 215, causing the lever to pivot slightly. Once the hinge plates 227a, 227b clear the narrow bottoms 253 of the locking elements 249, tension in the bent hinge plates immediately pivots the lever 215 to its vertical position, pushing the travel bar 245 and locking elements 249 to the locked position.

In this ring mechanism 201, the unique cooperation between the lever 215, the hinge plates 227a, 227b, and the locking elements 249 allows the ring mechanism to operate between a closed, locked position and an open position. When the ring members 223a, 223b are opened, the hinge plates 227a, 227b temporarily bend upward to pivot the lever 215, moving the locking elements 249 into alignment with the locking element openings 229a-229c of the hinge plates. The lever 215, along with the tension from the stretched hinge plates 227a, 227b and the spring force of the housing 211, then pivot the hinge plates through the locking elements 249 to open the ring members 223a, 223 b. When the ring members 223a, 223b are closed, the hinge plates 227a, 227b again bend to pivot the hinge plates downward through the locking elements 249 (although not required for this operation, the angled sides 255a of the locking elements 249 also assist in this operation).

FIGS. 22-31 show a ring binder mechanism 301 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In general, as with the embodiment of FIGS. 17-21, in this embodiment the ring mechanism 301 is configured to provide the desired lost motion through flexing or bending of the hinge plates 327a, 327 b. The ring mechanism 301 is substantially identical to the ring mechanism 201 of fig. 17-21, with the lever 315 having no bridges and slots between the lever body and the tongue 337. The hinge plates 327a, 327b are particularly configured to facilitate flexing (i.e., bending) of the hinge plates near their free ends, and are more particularly configured to facilitate bending of the fingers at the free ends of the hinge plates (e.g., relative to other portions or main portions of each hinge plate) to ensure that the locking elements 349 are aligned with the cutouts 329a-329c when the hinge plates are pivoted to the open position.

In particular, as best seen in FIGS. 23 and 24, a line of weakness in the form of a transversely extending slot (e.g., a score line) 332 is formed in each of the hinge plates 327a, 327b proximate the free end thereof, and more particularly transversely across the finger 331, such as at the base of the finger 331 extending from the main longitudinal or main portion of the hinge plate, respectively. These slots reduce the bending stiffness (i.e., bending resistance) of the hinge plates 327a, 327b, and in particular the bending stiffness of the fingers 331 relative to other or major portions of the hinge plates. The other components of the ring mechanism 301 and the assembly of the components are substantially the same as the ring mechanism 201 of fig. 17-21.

The operation of the ring mechanism 301 will be described with reference to the enlarged partial views of fig. 25-31. In fig. 25-27, the ring mechanism 301 is in a closed and locked position. To unlock the ring mechanism 301 and open the ring members 323a, 323b, the operator pivots the lever 315 outward and downward (counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 25 and 26) such that the tongue portion 337 of the lever 315 presses upward against the finger 331. When the tongue 337 presses upwardly against the finger 331, the spring force of the housing 311 causes the hinge plates 327a, 327b to remain substantially stationary and unflexed for the majority of their length, but as best seen in FIG. 28, the slot 332 (i.e., the line of weakness) formed in the hinge plates at the base of the finger 331 causes the finger 331 to bend or flex upwardly relative to the other longitudinal portions (i.e., the main portion) of the hinge plates, and in particular along the line of weakness. The flexing of the finger 331 causes the lever 315 to continue to rotate, and the lever 315 via the intermediate connector 367 pulls the travel bar 345 from the locking position (fig. 25-27) to the intermediate position (fig. 28, 29 and 29A) in which the locking members 349 are aligned with the cutouts 329A-329 c. This structure/mechanism thus reduces the likelihood that the bottoms of the locking elements 349 will catch against the upper surfaces of the hinge plates and facilitates movement of the travel bar 345 from the locked position to the neutral position.

Once the locking elements 349 are moved into alignment with the locking element openings 329a-329c of the hinge plates 327a, 327b, the hinge plates are free to pivot upward through their co-planar position to open the ring members 323a, 323b under the influence of continued depression of the lever 315. Tension in the hinge plates 327a, 327b is removed and the lever 315 can be released and the spring force of the housing 311 holds the upwardly hinged hinge plates. As shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, the locking elements 349 are statically positioned within the respective hinge plate cutout openings 329a-329c and are not subjected to forces that would move them to the locked position.

As in the ring mechanism 201 of FIGS. 17-21, to close the ring members 323a, 323b of the ring mechanism 301 and return the mechanism to the locked position, the operator manually pushes the free ends of the ring members together. The hinge plates 327a, 327b pivot downward and cause the lever 315 to rotate clockwise (as viewed in FIG. 30). The locking elements 349 resist movement of the lever 315, and thus downward movement of the hinge plates 327a, 327b, causing the fingers 331 to flex relative to the other longitudinal portions of the hinge plates. The hinge plates 327a, 327b flex downward while the lever 315 and fingers 331 remain relatively stationary. As the hinge plates 327a, 327b bend, the angled sides of the locking elements 349 allow the locking elements to move a small amount away from the lever 315, causing the lever to pivot slightly. Once the hinge plates 327a, 327b clear the bottoms of the locking elements 349, tension in the flexed hinge plates immediately pivots the lever 315 to its vertical position, pushing the travel bar 345 and locking elements 349 to the locked position.

In this ring mechanism 301, the unique cooperation between the lever 315, the hinge plates 327a, 327b, and the locking elements 349 allows the ring mechanism to be operated between a closed and locked position and an open position. When the ring members 323a, 323b are opened, the fingers 331 on the hinge plates 327a, 327b temporarily flex upward to pivot the lever 315, moving the locking elements 349 into alignment with the locking element openings 329a-329c of the hinge plates. The lever 315, along with the tension from the stretched hinge plate fingers 331 and the spring force of the housing 311, then pivot the hinge plates past the locking elements 349 to open the ring members 323a, 323 b. When the ring members 323a, 323b are closed, the fingers 331 again flex to pivot the hinge plates downward through the locking elements 349.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 22-31, the slot 332 forming the line of weakness extends transversely across the width of the finger 331. However, it is understood that the slot 332 may extend laterally across less than the entire width of the finger 331 without departing from the scope of this invention. It is also envisioned that the slot 332 may extend across all or a portion of the width of each hinge plate, except for the fingers 331. Moreover, while the lines of weakness in the illustrated embodiment are in the form of slots formed in part through the thickness of the hinge plates 327a, 327b, it is envisioned that the lines of weakness may include one or more laterally extending slots formed through the entire thickness of the hinge plates, a series of openings (i.e., perforations) formed along a transverse line across all or part of the width of the hinge plates, or other suitable portions formed in the hinge plates that are capable of attenuating the resistance at the lines of weakness to bending of the hinge plates.

FIGS. 32-35 show a ring mechanism 401 according to a fifth embodiment of the invention which is similar to the ring mechanism 301 of FIGS. 22-31, but with lines of weakness located on the hinge plates 427a, 427b near their free ends (i.e., on the fingers 431) in the form of one or more longitudinally extending slots extending through the thickness of the hinge plates (a pair of slots 432a, 432b are shown in the hinge plates of the embodiment of FIGS. 32-35). These longitudinally extending slots 432a, 432b reduce the bending stiffness (i.e., resistance to bending) of the hinge plates 427a, 427b, such as at the fingers 431. The opening and closing operation of the ring mechanism 401 of the fifth embodiment, shown in an intermediate position in FIG. 35, is substantially the same as the ring mechanism 301 of the fourth embodiment, except that the bending of the fingers 431 relative to the other longitudinal portions of the hinge plates 427a, 427b is not along the lines of weakness. The bending occurs across the line of weakness due to the removal or omission of material in the fingers across the width of the hinge plates 427a, 427b to form the slots 432a, 432 b.

It should be understood that more or less than two longitudinally extending slots 432a, 432b may be formed in the hinge plates 427a, 427b without departing from the scope of this invention. Also, although the slots 432a, 432b of the illustrated embodiment are of different lengths, it is envisioned that the slots may be of the same length. It is also contemplated that one or more slots 432a, 432b may extend longitudinally further from the fingers 431 to other longitudinal portions of the hinge plates 427a, 427b and remain within the scope of this invention. Instead of the fingers 431 extending through the thickness of the hinge plates 427a, 427b, the lines of weakness may be formed by openings (i.e., perforations) formed in a longitudinal linear pattern, longitudinally extending slots formed in the hinge plates that do not extend through the entire thickness of the hinge plates, or other suitable weakening sections formed in the hinge plates.

36-40 illustrate a ring mechanism 501 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, which is similar to the ring mechanism 301 of the fourth embodiment and the ring mechanism 401 of the fifth embodiment described above, except that the hinge plates 527a, 527b and finger 531 structures assist in bending the hinge plates, and more particularly the fingers, relative to the main portions of the hinge plates. Also in the sixth embodiment, the lever 515 (which includes the individual finger pads 516 mounted thereon) is pivotally mounted to the housing 511 by a pivot pin 559 that passes through the eyelet 519, the pivot pin 559 extending above the plateau 517 (rather than below the plateau as in the previous embodiments). The intermediate connector 567 is connected to the lever 515 by a drop arm 568 at a connection point 570 (fig. 38), the connection point 570 being located below the pivotal connection of the lever 515 to the housing 511.

Due to the relative positioning of the lever pivot point and the intermediate connector connection point 570, the intermediate connector 567 is pushed away from the lever 515 (i.e., to the left in fig. 38-40) as the lever 515 is pivoted outward (i.e., clockwise as viewed in fig. 38-40). Thus, when the lever 515 is pivoted outward, the travel bar 545 is pushed away from the lever 515 and the intermediate connector 567 is attached to the travel bar 545 at the notch 547 formed in the locking member 549 proximate to the lever 515. This is in contrast to the embodiments described above in which the relative positioning of the lever pivot point and the intermediate connector connection point (i.e., to the lever) is such that when the lever is pivoted outwardly, the intermediate connector, and thus the travel bar, is pulled toward the lever.

As best shown in FIGS. 36 and 37, the fingers 531 extending from the hinge plates 527a, 527b each have a narrow necked-down portion 534 (i.e., having a second width narrower than the width or first width of the main portions of the hinge plates) and an enlarged flat head portion 536 (i.e., having a third width greater than the second width of the necked-down portions of the fingers). Specifically, the necked-down portion 534 is formed by a generally square or rectangular cut-out on the finger 531. The necked-down portions 534 reduce the bending stiffness (i.e., resistance to bending) of the fingers 531 relative to the other longitudinal portions of the hinge plates 527a, 527b, while the head 536 provides a sufficient bearing surface against which the tongue 537 of the lever 515 can press to open the ring mechanism 501.

The operation of the ring binder mechanism 501 is substantially the same as the ring mechanisms 301 and 401 of the embodiments described above. Specifically, the ring binder mechanism is shown in a closed position in FIG. 38. In this position, the lever 515 is in an upright position with the bottom surfaces 553 of the locking elements 549 above the upper surfaces of the hinge plates 527a, 527b to prevent opening movement of the hinge plates 527a, 527 b.

When the lever 515 is pivoted outwardly (i.e., counterclockwise as viewed in FIGS. 38-40), the tongue 537 of the lever 515 abuts the finger 531 and the position of the locking elements 549 initially prevents the hinge plates 527a, 527b from pivoting. However, the increased flexibility of the fingers 531 relative to the main body portions of the hinge plates 527a, 527b, due to the necked down portions 534 of the fingers 531, causes the fingers 531 to bend upward as shown in FIG. 39. The upward flexing of the fingers 531 relative to the remainder of the hinge plates 527a, 527b allows the lever 515 to push the travel bar 545 away from it (i.e., to the left as viewed in FIGS. 38-40) so that the locking elements 549 are aligned with the locking element openings 529a-529c of the hinge plates (only one opening is shown), as shown in FIG. 39. Once the locking elements 549 are aligned with the locking element openings 529a-529c of the hinge plates, the tension in the hinge plates 527a, 527b is sufficient to overcome the spring force of the housing 511, and the hinge plates pivot upward past the locking elements 549 to the open position shown in FIG. 40. At this time, tension in the hinge plates 527a, 527b is relieved and the fingers 531 relax against the main body portions of the hinge plates 527a, 527 b.

The component parts of the ring binder mechanisms of the embodiments described and illustrated herein are made of a suitable rigid material, such as metal (e.g., steel). However, mechanisms having component parts made of non-metallic materials, including in particular plastics, do not depart from the scope of this invention.

When introducing elements of the present invention, the articles "a," "an," "the," and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having," and variations thereof, are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Moreover, the terms "upper" and "lower" and variations thereof are used for convenience, but these elements need not be in any particular orientation.

As various changes could be made in the above without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims (19)

1. A ring binder mechanism for retaining loose-leaf pages, the mechanism comprising:

a housing;

at least one ring for retaining loose-leaf pages, the ring including first and second ring members configurable between a closed position in which the first and second ring members form a generally continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf pages retained by the ring to be moved along the ring from one ring member to the other, and an open position in which the first and second ring members form a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the ring;

a hinge mechanism operatively connected to the ring members for configuring the ring members between their open and closed positions, the hinge mechanism including a pair of elongate hinge plates supported in the housing for pivotal movement relative to the housing between a first hinge plate position corresponding to the closed position of the ring members and a second hinge plate position corresponding to the open position of the ring members, each of the hinge plates having a free end and a line of weakness formed in the hinge plate proximate the free end for facilitating bending of the hinge plate; and

an actuator movable between a first position corresponding to a closed position of the ring members and a second position corresponding to an open position of the ring members, the actuator including bearing surfaces engageable with the hinge plates proximate their free ends as the actuator moves from its first position to the second position such that the hinge plates bend proximate their free ends to delay pivoting motion of the hinge plates when the actuator initially moves from its first position toward its second position.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein each of the hinge plates has a width, the line of weakness extending transversely across at least a portion of the width of the hinge plates.

3. A ring binder mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the line of weakness extends transversely across the entire width of the hinge plates.

4. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein each hinge plate has a thickness and the line of weakness extends through at least a portion of the thickness of the hinge plate.

5. A ring binder mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the line of weakness comprises an elongate slot formed in the hinge plate through a portion of the thickness of the hinge plate.

6. The mechanism of claim 4 wherein the line of weakness includes at least one opening formed through the entire thickness of the hinge plates.

7. The mechanism of claim 6 wherein the line of weakness includes at least one elongate slot formed through the entire thickness of the hinge plates.

8. The mechanism of claim 7 wherein the line of weakness includes a plurality of elongate slots formed through the entire thickness of the hinge plates.

9. A ring binder mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the lines of weakness extend longitudinally along the hinge plates.

10. The mechanism of claim 9 wherein the line of weakness includes an elongate slot extending longitudinally along the hinge plates proximate the free ends thereof.

11. The mechanism of claim 10 wherein a plurality of longitudinally extending elongated slots are formed in the hinge plates proximate the hinge plate free ends.

12. The mechanism of claim 11, wherein all of the slots are substantially the same length.

13. The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the line of weakness is located and configured on the hinge plates to facilitate bending of the hinge plates along the line of weakness.

14. The mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a locking system operatively connected to the actuator for locking the ring members in their closed position corresponding to a first position of the actuator as the actuator moves together between a locked position and an unlocked position, the ring members being configurable from their closed position to their open position in the unlocked position, the locking system being positionable by the actuator from its locked position to its unlocked position during bending of the hinge plate upon initial movement of the actuator from its first position toward its second position.

15. The ring binder mechanism of claim 1 wherein the hinge plates each include a body portion and a finger extending longitudinally from the body portion toward a longitudinal end of the finger forming a free end of the hinge plate, the finger being narrower than the body portion of the hinge plate, a line of weakness being formed on the finger to facilitate bending of the finger relative to the body portion of the hinge plate.

16. A ring binder mechanism for retaining loose-leaf pages, the mechanism comprising:

a housing;

at least one ring for retaining loose-leaf pages, the ring including first and second ring members configurable between a closed position in which the first and second ring members form a generally continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf pages retained by the ring to be moved along the ring from one ring member to the other, and an open position in which the first and second ring members form a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the ring;

a hinge mechanism operatively connected to the ring members for configuring the ring members between their open and closed positions, the hinge mechanism including a pair of elongate hinge plates supported in the housing for pivotal movement relative to the housing between a first hinge plate position corresponding to the closed position of the ring members and a second hinge plate position corresponding to the open position of the ring members, each of the hinge plates having a free end and being configured to have a first width, a second width narrower than the first width and closer to the free ends of the hinge plates than the first width, and a third width greater than the second width and closer to the free ends of the hinge plates than the second width to facilitate bending of the hinge plates generally at the second width; and

an actuator movable between a first position corresponding to a closed position of the ring members and a second position corresponding to an open position of the ring members, the actuator including bearing surfaces engageable with the hinge plates proximate their free ends as the actuator moves from its first position to its second position such that the hinge plates bend proximate their free ends substantially at the second width to delay pivoting motion of the hinge plates when the actuator initially moves from its first position toward its second position.

17. The mechanism of claim 16, further comprising a locking system operatively connected to the actuator for locking the ring members in their closed position corresponding to the first position of the actuator as the actuator moves together between a locked position and an unlocked position, the ring members being configurable from their closed position to their open position in the unlocked position, the locking system being positionable by the actuator from its locked position to its unlocked position during bending of the hinge plate upon initial movement of the actuator from its first position toward its second position.

18. The ring binder mechanism of claim 16 wherein the hinge plates each include a body portion and a finger extending longitudinally from the body portion of the hinge plates toward a longitudinal end of the finger forming the free end of the hinge plates, the finger having a base and a longitudinal end spaced from the base and forming the free end of the hinge plates, the finger being narrower at its base than at its longitudinal end to facilitate bending of the finger generally at the base.

19. The ring binder mechanism of claim 18 wherein the fingers have a length, the fingers being narrower than the main body portion of the hinge plates along the entire length of the fingers.