Books – strips – and leaves – Book – element thereof – or accessory therefor – Covers
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-02
2001-12-25
Fridie, Jr., Willmon (Department: 3722)
Books, strips, and leaves
Book, element thereof, or accessory therefor
Covers
C402S073000, C281S021100, C281S015100, C281S027300, C412S001000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06332630
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to sheet holders, and more particularly to folder for binding loose-leaf sheets.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Documents are commonly prepared and secured for distribution and later retrieval for use by others. It is often desirable to bind these documents in a condition that facilitates review of the contents contained therein. It is known to punch a staple through the sheets of the document together with a stapler. Although such a mechanism is easy and inexpensive to use, the bound pages may rip from use, the folded ends of the staples are unsightly and often scratch items that come in contact with them and the pages are not protected against external elements. In addition, unless the document consists a fair number of pages, the document may be flimsy to be easily handled. Moreover, the overall appearance of the stapled documents does not compare to professionally bound documents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,111 reference is directed to a binder system to conceal edges of pages held therein. The binder system has a cover with front and back segments and a fold segment that has at least a pair of spaced scorelines defining at least one fold subsegment. A pair of adhesive strips is attached alongside the fold subsegments and is covered by adhesive strip covers. The sheets of a document are first stapled to each other, and then the stack is inserted between the covers with the stapled edge proximate to the fold segment, and secured therein by the adhesive strips. This binder system conceals the edges of the ages and prevents exposure of the folded ends of the staple. As the binder system is secured only to the outer sheets of the stack, the stack is held within the binder by the strength of the adhesive material, which may become weakened with use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,816 discloses a stapled report cover having a plurality of panels. The panels are folded over a plurality of pages that form a stack with bottom and top sheets. A binding margin on the stack is adjacent to a binding edge of the stack. A broad top cover panel extends to the binding margin, and a concealment panel is attached to the cover panel and extends across the narrow binding margin. The concealment panel is joined to a broad back panel a spine fold. The stack is fastened with a fastener at the narrow binding margin, and a layer of adhesive is located between the document cover and the binding margin of the stack to conceal the fastener where it protrudes from the top sheet of the stack.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,426 discloses a method of making a report cover which allows a stack of paper held therein to lie flat. The Lockhart method includes a report cover that uses two panels, one of which includes three parallel hinges. One of the hinges on the panel remains pivotable to prevent pages of the report from “flying” back or the report from closing on its own when the cover is in an opened configuration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a sheet holder comprising a spine having at least first, second, third, and fourth panels attached in series by first, second, and third hinges, respectively. The panels and hinges are configured and associated such that the spine has a folded position in which the first and second panels are opposed to each other and define a stack space therebetween dimensioned to receive a stack. In this folded position, the third panel is folded over the second panel, and the fourth panel is folded over the first panel. The panels are associated such that a binding fastener is positionable through the first panel, the stack in the stack space, and the second panel. The fastener portions of the binding fastener are disposed between the second and third panels and between the first and fourth panels such that the third and fourth panels cover the fastener portions. A spine closure fastener associated with the first and fourth covers in the folded position to cover the fastener from view.
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Lausen Marcia E.
Melamed Meeyoung C.
Pfanner Stephan Peter James
Wolff Scott S.
ACCO Brands Inc.
Fridie Jr. Willmon
Pennie & Edmonds LLP
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