WO2012161664A1

WO2012161664A1 - File mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2012161664A1
Application number: PCT/SI2011/000029
Authority: WO
Inventors: Boris Kavcic
Original assignee: Niko, Kovinarsko Podjetje, D.D., Zelezniki
Priority date: 2011-05-20
Filing date: 2011-06-02
Publication date: 2012-11-29
Also published as: SI23726A

Abstract

A file mechanism comprises a base plate (1), two stable pins (11, 12) which are firmly attached thereto, as well as two pivotable pins (21, 22) which are allowed to be pressed towards said stable pins (11, 12) by means of pivoting of an actuating lever (3). The purpose of the invention is to enable turning the sheets attached in the file even when said actuating lever (3) is pivoted and the pivotable pins (21, 22) are swiveled apart from said stable pins (11, 12). To this aim, the actuating lever (3) of such mechanism comprises a guide (331), in which a slider (333) is inserted, which is intended to cooperate with an intermediate section (25) of a clipping set (2) comprising said pivotable pins (21, 22).

Description

File mechanism

The present invention belongs to the field of bookbinding and requisites for clipping and storage of documents, i.e. among requisites adapted for sorting and organizing documents, especially of such kind, which comprise corresponding means for inserting through appropriate openings, by which the stored documents are furnished, namely among two- part clipping assemblies, which includes a stable part having at least two stable pins, as well as a pivotable part, which also includes at least two pivotable pins

It is the aim of the present invention how to madify a file mechanism, which comprises a base plate, a pair of stable pins fixedly attached thereto and pair of pivotable pins which are pivotable towards said stable pins by means of displacing an actuating lever, so that arrangement of said actuating lever even in position where said pivotable pins are shifted apart from the stable pins, should still allow displacing of sheets inserted in the document file, by which moreover a reliable operation of such mechanism should be achieved despite to essential simplifying of the construction concept, in particular of the base plate. A file mechanisms is described in WO 20/04082961 or EP 1 606 122, respectively. Such mechanism consists of a base plate, on which a pair of stable pins is available, which are firmly connected to said base plate, and moreover a pair of pivotable pins, which are interconnected by means of a rigid intermediate portion and are therefore simultaneously pivoted by means of appropriate lever, which is pivotally connected to the cantilever, which is arranged in the central portion of said base plate and represents a part of said base plate or is firmly interconnected therewith.

The base plate includes appropriate reinforcing elements as well as openings adapted for attachment to each disposable file cover. Two stable pins are attached to said plate apart from each other and located in both corners of one of both longer lateral edges thereof, and their free ends are bent towards free ends of pivotable pins. Along the other lateral edge two pivotable pins are embedded within appropriate bearings and interconnected by means of an intermediate portion, which is bent in a trapezoidal shape essentially in the form of letter U. Said bearings are normally placed adjacent to the longitudinal edge of the base plate, while the intermediate section, by means if which said pivotable pins are interconnected, is placed towards the central portion of the base plate and extends essentially parallel to the aforementioned edge of the base plate.

Furthermore, a cantilever is foreseen approximately in the central area of the base plate, which protrudes apart from the base plate and at least approximately perpendicularly with respect to the aforementioned plane and forms at its free end and apart from the base plate a pivot joint of appropriate lever, which is intended to control the file mechanism and pivoting the pivotable pins with regard to the base plate and the stable pins. Said lever is arranged in the vertical plane, which extends parallel to the longitudinal edges of the base plate. A roller is embedded on the lever eccentrically at a certain distance with respect to the pivot joint, and is adapted for being rolled along said intermediate portion between both pivotable pins. To this aim, said lever is formed in the shape of the letter L, wherein the longer arm is intended for actuating, on the end portion of the shorter arm said roller is embedded, and the lever is embedded in the coinciding area of said arms. In the area of said intermediate portion, the clipping assembly is supported by a spring, which is normally available as a cantilevered bending spring. By pivoting said lever, the roller is moved along said central portion in order to either press said intermediate section towards the spring or to allow when desired that said intermediate portion is pressed by said spring in such an extent, which is determined by said roller and each disposable position of the lever, whereby said pivotable pins are pivoted with regard to the plane of the base plate in order to be shifted towards the stable pins or away from them.

When said pivotable pins are shifted away from the pair of the stable pins, then the file mechanism is opened and the sheets are allowed to be inserted into the file or removed there-from. Thanks to the spring, the intermediate section is maintained in position apart from the base plate, and also the actuating arm is shifted away from the base plate protruding thereby into the area between the stable pin and pivotable pin, which are available on the side of the actuating arm of the lever and are held apart from each other.

By pivoting the actuating arm of the lever towards the base plate, the roller is moved along the intermediate portion between the pivotable pins, by which said intermediate portion is pressed towards the plane of the base plate in a direction opposite with respect to the force of the spring. When the roller is moved across the line, which extends perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the base plate throughout the pivot joint on the centrally arranged cantilever, then the free end of each corresponding pivotable pin is rest on the free end of each corresponding stable pin. Since the lever may be pivoted still further, such movement involves movement of the roller beyond said line, upon which the lever is fixed and arrested in such a state, by which the file mechanism is closed. When bearing in mind quite practical experience by using such a mechanism, it appears to be extremely reliable and efficient, and enables quickly and reliable storage of a sufficient quantity of sheets. The problem occurs whenever the user attempts to transpositioning of the inserted sheets or re-arranging of the content of the document file by amending the sequence of the sheets or the like. In such situation, transposition of sheets from the satble pins to the pivotable pins or vice versa is generally poddible, however under condition that the file mechanism is closed. Amending the sequence of sheets is possible by pivoting the actuating lever and shifting the pivotable pins apart from the stable pins and then temporarily removing each desired sheets in order to insert them back in appropriately amended sequence, upon which by shifting the actuating lever the pivotable pins are moved back towards the stable pins, by which the mechanism is closed again. By rearranging of sheets inserted in such file mechanism, the above described sequence of operations needs to be repeated several times, which is time consuming and not really confortable, when observed from the position of each user. In addition to that, manufacturing of such mechanism includes complicated integration of a spring into the base plate. Due to specific performances, the spring consists of a material, which should be elastic and hard and generally essentially differs from the material of the base plate as such. The base plate os obtained by forming and cutting of a steel plate, wherein appropriate location for integration of said spring must also be formed, into which then the spring is inserted asnd then in a subsequent step fixed in eacjh desired position on the plate. All these steps must be performed precisely, since otherwise the gap might ossuc between the spring and the plate, which weold result in irregularities during operation of the spring and also of the complete mechanism. It would be therefore apopreciated, when the persenec of said spring and also the need on inserting thereof during the process of manufacturing could be avoided, whowever without any negative impact with respect to the reliability of the mechanism as such. EP 1 226 987 proposes a generally analogous mechanism, which also consists of a base plate with stable pins firmly attached thereto as well as wit a centrally arranged cantilever, to which a lever is attached in appropriate pivot joint. Again, both pivotable pins are interconnected by means of an intermediate section, which is in its central portion pressed towards the main plane of the base plate by means of appropriate roller, which is eccentrically embedded on the lever, and at the same time said intermediate section is pressed away from the main plane of the base plate by means of a spring, which is mounted on the base plate below said central area of the intermediate section.

The purpose of such a solution is to enable transposition and re-arrangement, for example amending of sequences of sheets, which are stored in the file, even if the file mechanism is opened. In such a manner even during an extensive re-arrangement there is no need on repeated opening and closing the mechanism. In order to avoid protruding the lever into the area between each pivotable pin and corresponding stable pin on the side of the actuating arm of the lever, a limitation means is foreseen on the base plate below the central portion of the intermediate section between the pivotable pins, by means of which pivoting of the actuating arm away from the base plate is then limited. Due to such relatively simple modification of the base plate, namely by forming a cutout and subsequently bending of material of such cutout in order to obtain said limitation means, the actuating arm of the lever is then prevented from protruding into the area between the pivotable and stable pin, when positioned apart from each other, which would otherwise make transposition of sheets impossible. Accordingly, thanks to said limitation means the actuating arm of the lever is allowed to be pivoted only in such an extent that even in opened mechanism said arm is still maintained relatively close to the main plane of the base plate and at least at such distance apart from the stable pin and a corresponding pivotable pin, that transposition of sheets is still possible. Also in such case, a spring must still be mounted on the base plate, which is in the context of the previous duscussion still deemed to be a deficiency. Moreover, in this particular case, enabling transposition of sheets is achieved on the basis of reduction of the pivoting area of the lever. Whenever the mechanism is opened, the pivotable pin and stable pin must be maintained at a desired distance apart from each other, and such reduced pivoting area of the lever requires adequate amendment of the transmission ratio between the force acting on the lever and the force, by which the pivotable pins are pressed towards the stable pins. In addition to serious problems about accessing the lever in a completely full document file it is therefore obvious, that either essentially higher force must act on the lever, or the mechanism as such must be exposed to essentially higher loadings and deformations, consequently. It is also obvious, that such products are manufactured in a mass production, and must also comply with all requirements with regard to safe and reliable use, so that increasing of the force used for closing the mechanism seems generally to be unacceptable, while such increasing of deformations may lead to reducing of reliability and shortening of a normal lifetime of such products, or is even connected with other undesired measurements like introducing of more expensive raw materials or enlarging dimensions of certain components, which normally leads to increasing of the weight and higher manufacturing expenses.

Still further, a file mechanism is described in WO 2005/047015, which also includes a base plate, a pair of stable pins, which are firmly connected thereto, as well as a pair of pivotable pins, which are pivoted by means of appropriate lever. Said pivotable pins are embedded on the base plate and interconnected by means of an intermediate section, which is supported by a spring, which is mounted on said base plate. Like in previous cases, said lever is pivotally attached to a cantilever on the base plate and is adapted to cooperate with the intermediate section arranged between the pivotable pins. However in this particular case the intermediate section is adapted to cooperate not e.g. with a roller, which is eccentrically embedded on the lever, but with a circumferential rand of an essentially circular and centrically embedded operational area of the lever, which is formed as a specially determined curve on the same principle as a classic and commonly known crank shaft mechanism. Accordingly, by pivoting the lever around said pivot joint in a determined manner the distance between the pivot joint and each particular contact point on the circumference of said operating area is changed, in which the lever is cooperating with the intermediate section in order to it towards the spring and opposite to the force thereof. Three main angular positions of the lever are discussed in more detail in said source, namely the first position, in which the mechanism is closed and the lever is locked adjacent to the main plane of the base plate so that transposition of sheets is enabled, while in the second position thanks to appropriately determined transmission ratio the mechanism is smoothly opened or closed, whereby the lever is pivoted away from the base plate and transposition of sheets is impossible, while in the third position the lever is pivoted around the pivot point for approximately 180 degrees with respect to its first position, by which the mechanism is opened and transposition of sheets is enabled again despite to the fact that the mechanism is opened, since the lever is maintained again adjacent to the base plate. Also in this case a spring is mounted on the base plate, by which the intermediate section between the pivotable pins is pressed towards the circumferential rand of the lever. In this solution the main problem refers to the second position of the lever, in which the lever protrudes approximately rectangular with respect to the main plane of the base plate. When the lever is positioned adjacent to the base plate, the risk of damages due to possible hooking or impacts is relatively low. On the contrary, when the lever protrudes perpendicularly with respect to the base plate, the free end of the lever is placed at a long distance apart from the base plate and also from the pivot joint, so that each loading in a transversal direction with respect to the axis of the pivot joint e.g. due to possible impacts by hand, hooking by clothes or when the file drops down to the floor may result in extremely high stresses in the area of the pivot joint, which leads to increasing of play therein or even to destroying the mechanism. The present invention refers to a document file mechanism, which comprises a base plate and a clamping assembly, which is pivotally attached to said base plate and is actuated by means of an actuating lever, which is also pivotally attached to the base plate. A pair of apart from each other located, firmly to the base plate attached and approximately perpendicular with respect to the main plane of said base plate arranged stable pins is available on the base plate adjacent to one longitudinal edge thereof. A cantilever is foreseen in the central region of said base plate, and two bearing members are located adjacent to the other longitudinal edge of the base plate, within which the clamping assembly is pivotally embedded on the base plate. Said clamping assembly is conceived uniformly and comprises a pair of pivotable pins which are adapted to be pressed in axial alignment towards said stable pins and between which there is an intermediate section, which is offset towards the cantilever, while between said intermediate section and each pivotable pin appropriate a bearing sections are foreseen, by means of which said clamping assembly is embedded within said bearing members on the base plate. The actuating lever comprises an operating portion and an actuating arm and is in the pivot point pivotally attached to the cantilever on the base plate for the purposes of cooperation with the clamping assembly.

The invention provides that the actuating lever is furnished with a guide located on the operating portion thereof, in which a slider is inserted, which is adapted to cooperate with the intermediate section of the clamping assembly, wherein the pivot point of the actuating lever on the elastically deformable cantilever is located above the guide and therefore at a greater distance apart from the base plate than the guide. At the same time said slider is inserted within said guide and is allowed to be displaced to and fro along said guide and also relatively to said intermediate section of the clamping assembly and along the main plane of the base plate, and simultaneously with said intermediate section of the clamping assembly each time correspondingly either towards the main plate or in the opposite direction away from the base plate. The pivot point of the actuating lever on the cantilever of the base plate is located in the area of the operating portion of the actuating lever, which is located at the maximum distance apart from the base plate. The slider, which is inserted within the guide, is displaceable to and fro along said guide and is also pivotable around its axis and with respect to the pivot point.

The slider is preferably fork-shaped and comprises vertically spaced and therefore on different distances apart from the base plate located protrusions, between which in a freely sliding manner the intermediate section of the clamping mechanism is inserted.

Moreover, said guide is preferably a curved guide extending is such a manner that the curvature thereof is deflected towards the base plate. The minimum distance between the slider and the main plane of the base plate is obtained when the slider is located on the line throughout the pivot point and perpendicular with respect to the main plane of the base plate, and the distance between the slider and the main plane of the base plate in the end position of the slider within the guide is greater than said minimum distance in the area of the line throughout the pivot point and perpendicularly with respect to said main plane. The curvature of the guide may also be asymmetric with respect to the line perpendicular with respect to the main plane of the base plate throughout the pivot point, so that the distance between the slider in its first end position within the guide on the side of the actuating arm of the actuating lever and the main plane of the base plate is greater than the distance between the slider and the main plane of the base plate in its second end position within the guide.

A mechanism according to the invention will be explained in more detail on the basis of an embodiment, which is shown in the attached drawing, wherein

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a file mechanism from the front side; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same mechanism from the rear side;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same mechanism from the rear side, but under another angle as in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the mechanism; and

Fig. 6 is a side view in the opposite direction as in Fig. 5.

A file mechanism comprises a base plate 1, on which two stable pins 11, 12 are fixed together with a cantilever 13 bearing an actuating lever 3, as well as a clamping assembly 2 comprising two pivotable pins 21, 22.

The base plate 1 of the file mechanism according to the invention is simplified as much as possible and comprises reinforcing elements 14, attaching passages 15 and positioning bores 16, while said stable pins 11, 12 are arranged adjacent to the longitudinal edge 17 and are attached to said base plate 1 by means of pressing or riveting. Two bearing members 19', 19" are arranged adjacent to the opposite longitudinal edge 18, in which the clamping assembly 2 is pivotally embedded. In the shown embodiment, said bearing members 19', 19" are formed in a relatively simple manner by means of bending or sloping appropriate cutouts of the material of the base plate 1 as such in the area adjacent to said longitudinal edge 18. Moreover, said base plate 1 comprises a cantilever 13, which bears the actuating lever 3 and is located approximately in the central region of the base plate 1 and extends approximately perpendicular with respect to the main plane of said base plate 1. Said cantilever 13 is elastically deformable, and is capable to be permanently exposed to pre-defined elastic deformations in a direction perpendicularly with respect to the main plane of the base plate 1 and away from the base plate 1. Said clamping assembly 2 is uniformly conceived and comprises two pivotable pins 21, 22, two bearing sections 23, 24 arranged within said bearing members 19', 19" on the base plate 1, as well as an intermediate section 25, which is located in the central region of the base plate 1 adjacent to the cantilever 13. Consequently, said intermediate section 25 is arranged eccentrically with respect to said bearing members 19', 19", in which the complete clamping assembly 2 together with said pivotal pins 21 , 22 is pivotally embedded in the area of its bearing sections 23, 24.

The actuating lever 3 is pivotally attached to said cantilever 13 in its pivot point 33 and consists of an operating portion 33 and an actuating arm 32. Said pivot point 31 of the actuating lever 3 is located in the top region of the actuating lever 3 at the utmost distance apart from the base plate 1 and the intermediate section 25 of the clamping assembly 2.

A guide 331 is foreseen on the operating portion 33 of the actuating lever 3 and is located below the pivot point 31, namely between the last and the base plate 1, and a fork-shaped slider 333 having at least two protrusions 333', 333" is inserted within said guide and may be displaced in the longitudinal direction thereof. Said guide 331 s preferably curved and extends along a pre-determined curve, which is defined with respect to each particular position of said pivot point 31 and each kinematic conditions in correlation with the intermediate section 25 of the clamping assembly 2.

The slider 333, which is displaceable to and fro along said guide 331 and may generally also be pivoted, is namely adapted to cooperate with said intermediate section 25 of the clamping assembly 2, which is in the assembled state of such mechanism located between both protrusions 333', 333" of the slider 333. The actuating arm 32 of the actuating lever 3 is preferably conceived integrally with said operating portion 33 of the actuating lever 3 and is on the one hand relatively rigid and on the other hand appropriately shaped to enable comfortable manipulation with the lever 3 for the purposes of actuating the whole mechanism according to the invention.

When said base plate 1 is by means of attaching passages 15 and not-shown rivets attached to the cover of a document file, then by shifting the actuating arm 32 of the actuating lever 3 and correspondingly displacing the slider 333 towards the left pursuant to Figs. 1 and 2 the intermediate section 25 of the clamping assembly 2 is shifted towards the base plate 1, and each pivotable pin 21, 22 is then rest in a coaxial alignment onto each belonging stable pin 11, 12 wherein in such a state the slider 333 is located in its closest position with respect to the base plate 1 just before the slider 333 has reached its end position within the guide 331 on the operating section 33 of the actuating lever 3, by which the cantilever 13 is elastically deformed.

Since the guide 331 is curved away from the base plate 1, each further pivoting of the actuating lever 3 towards the base plate 1 leads to releasing of tensioning and deformations within the cantilever 13, by which the actuating lever 3 is arrested in its position without releasing the pressure between each pair of mutually engaged pivotable pin 21, 22 and stable pin 11, 12. Consequently, the actuating lever 3 is positioned adjacent to the base plate 1 and far away from the pins 11, 12; 21, 22, so that displacing of sheets clamped within the document file is possible without any doubt.

Whenever the user intends to insert at least one sheet into such document file, or to remove at least one sheet from said document file, a pressure towards the actuating arm 33 of the actuating lever 3 in a direction away from the base plate 1 leads to displacing the slider 333 towards the right pursuant to Figs. 1 and 2, by which the intermediate section 25 of the clamping assembly 2 is moved away from the base plate 1, by which the bearing sections 23, 24 are pivoted within the bearing members 19', 19", and the pivotable pins 21, 22 are swiveled apart from the stable pins 11, 12. The angle of inclination of said pivotable pins 21, 22 with respect to the main plane of the base plate 1 depend on the length and the curvature of said guide 331 within the operational area of the actuating lever 3. By appropriate determining said length and curvature of the guide 331, said pins 21, 22; 11, 12 are located sufficiently apart from each other despite to a limited pivoting of the actuating lever 3, any even by completely disengaged pins 11, 12, 21, 22 the actuating arm 32 is located a such distance apart of said pins 11, 12, 21, 22 that displacing of sheets inserted in the document file is still possible, which means that even by disengaged pins the sheets are allowed to be displaced from stable pins 1 1, 12 to pivotable pins 21, 22 or vice versa regardless to position of the actuating arm 32 of the actuating lever 3.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Document file mechanism, comprising a base plate (1) and a clamping assembly (2), which is pivotally attached to said base plate (1) and is actuated by means of an actuating lever (3), which is also pivotally attached to said base plate (1), wherein a pair of apart from each other located, firmly to the base plate (1) attached and approximately perpendicular with respect to the main plane of said base plate (1) arranged stable pins (11, 12) is available on the base plate (1) adjacent to one longitudinal edge (17) thereof, and wherein a cantilever (13) is foreseen in the central region of said base plate (1), and two bearing members (19', 19") are located adjacent to the other longitudinal edge (18) of the base plate (1), within which the clamping assembly (2) is pivotally embedded on the base plate (1), and wherein said uniformly conceived clamping assembly (2) comprises a pair of pivotable pins (21, 22), which are adapted to be pressed in axial alignment towards said stable pins (1 1, 12) and between which there is an intermediate section (25), which is offset towards the cantilever (13), while between said intermediate section (25) and each pivotable pin (21, 22) appropriate a bearing sections (23, 24) are foreseen, by means of which said clamping assembly (2) is embedded within said bearing members (19', 19") on the base plate (1), and wherein the actuating lever (3) comprises an operating portion (32) and an actuating arm (33) and is in the pivot point (31) pivotally attached to the cantilever on the base plate (1) for the purposes of cooperation with the clamping assembly (2), characterized in that the actuating lever (3) is furnished with a guide (331) located on the operating portion (32) thereof, in which a slider (333) is inserted, which is adapted to cooperate with the intermediate section (25) of the clamping assembly (2), wherein the pivot point (31) of the actuating lever (3) on the elastically deformable cantilever (13) is located above the guide (331) and therefore at a greater distance apart from the base plate (1) than the guide (331), and wherein said slider (333) is inserted within said guide (331) and is allowed to be displaced to and fro along said guide (331) and also relatively to said intermediate section (25) of the clamping assembly (2) and along the main plane of the base plate (1), and simultaneously with said intermediate section (25) of the clamping assembly (2) each time correspondingly either towards the main plate (1) or in the opposite direction away from the base plate (1).

2. Mechanism according to Claim 1, characterized in that the pivot point (31) of the actuating lever (3) on the cantilever (13) of the base plate (1) is located in the area of the operating portion (32) of the actuating lever (3), which is located at the maximum distance apart from the base plate (1).

3. Mechanism according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the slider (333) inserted within the guide (331) is displaceable to and fro along said guide (331) and also pivotable around its axis and with respect to the pivot point (31).

4. Mechanism according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the slider (333) is fork-shaped and comprises vertically spaced and therefore on different distances apart from the base plate (1) located protrusions (333', 333"), between which in a freely sliding manner the intermediate section (25) of the clamping mechanism (2) is inserted.

5. Mechanism according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that said guide (331) is a curved guide extending is such a manner that the curvature thereof is deflected towards the base plate (1).

6. Mechanism according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the minimum distance between the slider (333) and the main plane of the base plate (1) is obtained when the slider (333) is located on the line throughout the pivot point (31) and perpendicular with respect to the main plane of the base plate (1), and the distance between the slider (333) and the main plane of the base plate (1) in the end position of the slider (333) within the guide (331) is greater than said minimum distance in the area of the line throughout the pivot point (31) and perpendicularly with respect to said main plane.

7. Mechanism according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the curvature of the guide (331) is asymmetric with respect to the line perpendicular with respect to the main plane of the base plate (1) throughout the pivot point (31), so that the distance between the slider (333) in its first end position within the guide (331) on the side of the actuating arm (32) of the actuating lever (3) and the main plane of the base plate (1) is greater than the distance between the slider (333) and the main plane of the base plate (1) in its second end position within the guide (331).