Patents Examined by Jamila Williams
  • Patent number: 7670075
    Abstract: A binder unit, for binding a sheet stack having a mounting hole, includes an elongated binding body and two fastening arms. The binding body has a first binding portion biasing against a top side of the sheet stack at an edge portion thereof, a second binding portion biasing against a bottom side of the sheet stack, and a guiding slot aligning with the mounting hole. The fastening arms are extended from a first edge of the binding body to detachably engage with the second binding portion of the binding body at a position that the fastening arms are slidably coupled within the guiding slot through the mounting hole, wherein the fastening arms are bent for resting on the bottom side of the sheet stack to reinforce the edge portion of the sheet stack being securely sandwiched between the first and second binding portions of the binding body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Inventor: Chin-Hsiung Lien
  • Patent number: 7665943
    Abstract: An apparatus for punching and binding a stack of papers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a paper clamp and a binding element insertion device that are movable relative to each other. The binding element insertion device is configured to receive and detect binding elements of different sizes. The apparatus also includes a punching mechanism, a controller, and a user interface. The controller controls movement of the paper clamp and the binding element insertion device based on the size of the binding element needed to bind the stack of papers together. The user interface is configured to provide information to a user of the apparatus and to receive input from the user before, during, and after the punching and binding operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Esselte Business BVBA
    Inventors: Paul J Lemens, Ronald J Hoffman, David Miller, Jeppe Glaser, David A. Muckridge, David Aitchison, Robert Leack, Christopher A. Holman
  • Patent number: 7665924
    Abstract: On the one surface of a back plate suited to a length-and-width size of a ring binder, hooks serving as an engaging means are formed. The back plate is fixed to the spine surface of the file cover. When the ring binder is pressed against the back plate, the hooks are engaged with the ring binder so that the file cover is mounted on a booklet bound with the ring binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Max Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Hasegawa, Masaru Ando, Katsuya Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7661715
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for binding a stack of sheets. The stack may form a book and may have a binding region about which a binder can be clamped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Inventor: Thomas Porat
  • Patent number: 7661898
    Abstract: A ring binder mechanism includes a housing that supports two hinge plates for loose pivoting motion, moving the ring members apart or together. The mechanism also includes an actuating lever pivotally mounted on the housing. The lever moves a travel bar and its locking elements for controllably pivoting the hinge plates and the ring members mounted thereon between closed and open positions. In particular, the locking elements cam the hinge plates to softly close the ring members. When the ring members are apart, the locking elements register with openings in at least one of the hinge plates. When the ring members are together, the locking elements are substantially out of registration with the openings, blocking the hinge plates from pivoting to separate the ring members. The travel bar is formed with reinforcing structure to resist deforming the travel bar upon repeated operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: World Wide Stationery Manufacturing Company, Limited
    Inventors: Wing Yiu Ng, Hung Yu Cheng
  • Patent number: 7661918
    Abstract: A machine for binding a sheath of punched sheets together by means of a spine binder includes a closing assembly for closing the spine binder over the sheath of punched sheets. The closing assembly includes a rail and a closing tool carried by and movable along the rail, and adapted to engage the spine binder for closing the spine binder over the sheath as the closing tool is moved along the rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: General Binding Corporation
    Inventor: Colin Knight
  • Patent number: 7654576
    Abstract: A flexible, preferably elastic empanelled book cover (12) that has pocket portions (25) to receive the covers of a book (10) that is inserted therein. The cover (12) consists of a unitary hexagonal sheet of pliable material such as “SPANDEX”, having extended upper and lower edges, with each edge bisected by a slot (32) of predetermined width that extends orthogonally. Fold lines (34, 36 and 38) form a laterally-extended rectangle, with the side fold lines (38) forming the lateral apices of the hexagon two triangular flap portions (20) of the cover pockets. The in-folded upper and lower flap portions of the hexagon are attached to each other and to the triangular side flap portions, to form the pocket portion (25), with lock stitching (27) at the innermost juncture by the spine opening. A central top and bottom fold-over engages the spine of the book in stabilizing relation. The unitary hexagonal blanks can be economically mass produced from roll material (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Kittrich Corporation
    Inventor: Robert S. Silverman
  • Patent number: 7654764
    Abstract: A ring binder includes a housing, a driving mechanism moveable relative to the housing, and rings for holding the loose-leaf pages. Each ring has a first ring member and a second ring member moveable relative to each other between a closed position and an opened position. A ring actuator is positionable relative to the housing and operatively connected to the driving mechanism for moving the ring members between their closed and opened positions. A blocking device blocks the ring members in their closed position against movement to their opened position. The blocking device is positionable relative to the housing between a blocking position wherein the ring members are inhibited by the blocking device against movement from their opened position, and an unblocking position wherein the ring members are selectively moveable from their closed position to their opened position by positioning of the actuator. The blocking device is operable independent of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: World Wide Stationery Mfg. Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Chun On To
  • Patent number: 7648173
    Abstract: An adjustable book cover (10) consisting of a unitary hexagonal sheet of stretchable fabric (16) that is preferably coated with an elastomeric polyurethane resin (15). Interstices (19) of the fabric (16) are filled with at least a single layer of polyurethane resin (15), creating an impermeable waterproof barrier while maintaining the elastic functionality of the book cover (10). The hexagonal sheet has flap portions defined by fold lines (44,46,48) that delineate a laterally formed rectangle within the fabric polygon. Extended edges of the upper and lower shaped flap portions are each bisected by a slot (41) of predetermined depth, thus forming an access aperture (21) for the covers of a book when selected flap portions of the hexagon are secured together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Kittrich Corporation
    Inventor: Robert S. Silverman
  • Patent number: 7648172
    Abstract: A kit for manufacturing a stitch-bound printed book comprises a book cover (10), a collection of pre-perforated sheets (15) that can be printed to make up a printed bookblock (18), and endpapers (20a,20b) for assembling the printed bookblock in the cover. The pre-perforated loose sheets (15) have along one edge that corresponds to the book's spine a series of binding perforations (16). The pre-perforated loose sheets (15) are printable on one or both sides in an A4 printer to constitute printed pages of the book. A bookblock (18) is formed by reconstituting the printed pre-perforated pages as a collection with their perforations (16) aligned and by sewing through the perforations (16). This involves stitch-binding of individual sheets (15) instead of the usual stitch-binding of folded sheets, which makes it feasible to print the prepared collection of pre-perforated sheets using desktop publishing equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: C.P.E. Communication Promotion Edition S.A.
    Inventor: Kevin Paul Steele
  • Patent number: 7637537
    Abstract: A card, in particular credit card, identity card, bank card or the like is proposed that includes a plurality of laminated layers between which a security element with a relief structure, in particular holographic diffraction structures, is embedded. The materials are selected so that the softening temperature of the security element layer having the relief structure has a higher softening temperature than the card layers between which the security element is laminated. This permits the multilayer laminated card to be produced by conventional laminating methods without appreciably impairing the relief structure by the pressures and temperatures thereby occurring. Special combinations of materials and in particular suitable materials for the layer having the relief structure are proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Mario Keller, Günter Endres, Manfred Engl
  • Patent number: 7637682
    Abstract: A ring binder for retaining hole-punched pages comprises a housing, a pair of pivotable hinge plates received in the housing, and at least one pair of half ring members fixed to the hinge plates and moved between a closed position and an open position. Each of the half ring members comprises an anchoring portion fixed to a corresponding hinge plate, a transverse arm portion connected to the anchoring portion and extending outwardly in a transverse direction, an oblique arm portion connected to the transverse arm portion and extending obliquely and upwardly, and a curved portion connected to the oblique arm portion and extending upwardly and inwardly. In the closed position, upper ends of the curved portions of the pair of half ring members abut against each other in a face to face manner, and the opposite curved portions form an upwardly directed arc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: World Wide Stationery Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventor: Chun Yuen To
  • Patent number: 7618066
    Abstract: The invention relates to a printed data carrier having a printed surface and at least one printed partial surface enclosed thereby on all sides, the surface and the partial surface being printed by intaglio printing and contrasting visually due to an ink layer of varying thickness. The invention likewise relates to the method for producing the data carrier, the printing plate used therefor, and the method for producing the printing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Giesecke & Devrient GmbH
    Inventors: Christof Baldus, Daniel Franz, Adolf Preidt, Theodor Rebele
  • Patent number: 7614815
    Abstract: A receiving bag held by a hook-type folder comprises a bag, an opening and at least one notch. The bag has a receiving space. The opening is positioned at an upper side of the bag and communicating with the receiving space. At least one notch is positioned at an inner side of the bag and communicating with the receiving space. When the bag is held by the folder, the upper side of the bag and an under side of the bag are positioned outside folder's hooks. The lengths of the bag aren't restricted by the hooks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Inventor: Si Chien Huang
  • Patent number: 7614838
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a method and apparatus for producing cases with rounded corners. According to this method, the corner edge (10) that protrudes in the region of a rounded corner (9) is initially uprighted and turned over and subsequently pressed on the cover boards (7a, b, c) together with the turning-over and pressing-on of the lateral edge (11a) of an adjacent lateral border, in the same station (1). The apparatus comprises at least one rounded corner tool (3) that is arranged in the same station (1) in the which the lateral edges (11a, b) of opposed lateral borders that lie parallel to one another are uprighted, turned over, and pressed on the cover. The rounded corner tool (3) can be moved (b) toward the center of the case and out of the effective range of the lateral turn-in device (24) immediately before the turning-over and pressing-on movement (c, d) of the lateral turn-in device (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Kolbus GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Günter Geldmeier, Frank Tautz, Gerhard Lintelmann
  • Patent number: 7607853
    Abstract: A binding mechanism system including a first support portion including a first ring portion located thereon and a second support portion including a second ring portion located thereon. At least one of the first and second support portions is movable relative to the other between a closed position wherein the first and second ring portions contact to form a generally closed ring, and an open position wherein the first and second ring portions are spaced apart from each other. The binding mechanism further includes an indicator that is generally visible when the ring portions are in one of the open or closed position and that is generally not visible when the ring portions are in the other one of the open or closed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: MeadWestvaco Corporation
    Inventors: Edward P. Busam, J. Michael Tims, Lewis Ray Dyson, Stephen D. Wehmeyer
  • Patent number: 7600939
    Abstract: A ring binder mechanism includes a housing and first and second hinge plates supported by the housing for pivoting movement relative thereto. A first ring member is mounted on the first hinge plate and moveable with the pivoting motion of the first hinge plate relative to a second ring member between a closed position and an opened position. An interlocking formation locks the first ring member and second ring member in the closed position. An actuator is mounted on the housing for movement relative to the housing. The actuator is adapted to pivot the first and second hinge plates and to translate the first hinge plate relative to the second hinge plate in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: World Wide Stationery Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhong Bin Liu, Hung Yu Cheng
  • Patent number: 7600787
    Abstract: A baggage identification system has a label and a key fob. The label has a front face with a distinctive pattern thereon, and a rear face with an adhesive thereon. A backing material attached to the adhesive on the rear face of the label is removable to expose the adhesive for affixing the label to the baggage. The key fob has a design thereon matching the design on the label. A pocket on the front face of the label can hold an item of personal identification. Perforations along a peripheral edge allows peripheral edge portions of the label to be removed to increase label adhesion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Inventor: Andre M. White
  • Patent number: 7581914
    Abstract: A foldable paper padding press for compressing paper and other sheet material, wherein adhesive is applied to the compressed edges of paper for making pads, tablets and books. The components of the press rotate around a base for easy loading, padding and storing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Inventor: Hugh Marion Lyman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7572090
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a printed end product containing a single printed product or several printed products, collected astraddle and supplied sequentially, and bound by stitching, the printed products are collected in a predetermined sequence required for forming the printed end product along a common conveying path. Subsequently, the printed products are stitched. A circulating collecting support is provided which is supplied by a feeding device with spread-apart printed products. After the collecting step is complete, the collected printed sheets are moved on the conveying path to the stitching location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Müller Martini Holding AG
    Inventor: Günther Silberbauer