In order to improve the versatility of hanging file binders and to make it easier and convenient to transport the binder outside of the hanging file system, retractable hook binders were developed. Some of these binders, including those disclosed in United States Patent Nos. 3,572,867, 3,801,175, and 5,163,768, combined retractable hooks with a binding in a permanent arrangement. In other words, the hooks and the binding were part of a unitary system. Still alternative developments led to hanging binders wherein the hooks were added to existing binders and folders, such as three ringed binders and report folders. These binders are disclosed in United States Patent Nos. 4,208,146,4,950,096, and 4,979,626. These binder hooks could be added or removed form existing or standard folders. Removal, however, required the opening of the rings or dismantling of the binder. In addition, these hooks served only as hooks and not as binders.

There is a need for a snap binder that serves as a separate and independent binder, a hanging file holder, and an insert for existing file folders and binders. The snap binder should be easy to open and close while removing sheets of paper therefrom. Therefore paper can be removed and added with the relative ease of a three ringed binder. The snap binder could be removed from and inserted into a standard binder of folder without having to open or disassemble the folder or binder itself. Therefore, the snap binder could be easily and quickly moved between being a binder, a binder insert, and a hanging file.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a snap binder that can hold about twenty sheets of paper, is removable from a regular notebook or folio, and has slideable end portions with cutouts or hooks that allow it be used in a rail type file cabinet. Therefore, the snap binder provides modular system for holding and organizing papers. The snap binder can operate independently as a binder, a hanger for hanging sheets in a rail type file system, or as a releasable attachment mechanism in a typical or ringed binder. The ringed binder into which the snap binder may be inserted can be a standard three ring binder, a portfolio, a folder, a calendar-type organizer style binder having more than three rings, or a binder having one or more hooks, loops, or slots.

The snap binder can be inserted or removed from any of these binders with having to open or dismantle the binders.

The snap binder includes a base and a cover member that are pivotable with respect to one another from an open position to a closed position. The base and cover members are securable in the closed position and include an anchor for holding sheets of paper. The anchor preferably also serves to secure the base and cover members in the closed position.

The snap binder is attachable to a standard binder or folder that has rings or posts. An attachment member provides releasable attachment of the snap binder to a ringed binder. The attachment member includes a released position for inserting the snap binder into and removing it from the ringed binder without having to open the binder rings or otherwise dismantle the binder.

The snap binder is also configurable as a hanger for use in a rail type hanging file system. When the attachment member is in the released positions, recesses in the end portions of the attachment member are sized and spaced to engage the rails in the rail type hanging file system. Therefore, sheets of paper once inserted into the snap binder can be used as thus bound in the snap binder, securely inserted into a ringed binder by the snap binder, or

stored in a rial type hanging file system all without removing the papers from the snap binder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: Fig. 1 is a perspective of a snap binder constructed according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a top view thereof; Fig. 3 is a bottom view thereof; Fig. 4 is a front elevational view thereof ; Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view thereof; Fig. 6 is a left end view thereof; Fig. 7 is a right end view thereof Fig. 8 is a top view of the snap binder with the cover in an open position; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the snap binder with the attachment member end portions extended; Fig. 10 is a top view thereof; Fig. 11 is a bottom view thereof; Fig. 12 is a front elevational view thereof; Fig. 13 is a rear elevational view thereof; Fig. 14 is a top view thereof with the cover in an open position; Fig. 15 a top vie ;. ! of the snap binder engaged in a binder; Fig. 16 is a top view of the snap binder engaged in a three ring binder; Fig. 17 is a partial cross-sectional view through lines 17-17 of Fig. 15.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the figures, the snap binder 1 includes a first member such as a base member 2 and a second member such as a cover member 3. The cover member 3 is attachable to the base member 2. Preferably, the cover member 3 is hingedly attached along a back edge 4 of the base member 2. When so attached, the base member 2 and the cover member 3 can rotate relative to one another around a pivot axis 5 running through the back edge 4, as shown in Figure 4.

The cover and base members rotate relative to one another

around the pivot axis 5 between a generally open position as shown in Figures 8 and 14 to a closed position as shown in Figures 1 and 9.

The base and cover members can be secured together in the close position by a fasteners such as springs, clips, magnets, or any suitable type of two part mechanical fastener. The two part mechanical fastener may be included in the snap binder 1 by attaching one part each to the base and cover members. Referring to Figs. 8 and 14, a preferred two part mechanical fastener is a shaft 6 and collar 7 type fastener. Cylindrical collars 7 extend from a top surface 8 of the base member 2. Preferably, the collars 7 run along a front edge 9 of the base member 2 opposite the back edge 4.

The collars 7 include a hollow core 10 extending through the collars 7 and through the base member 2 as shown in Figures 3 and 11. The shafts 6 extend from an interior surface 11 of the cover member 3. The shafts 6 are dimensioned to frictionally engage the hollow cores 10 of the collars 7 when the base and cover members are in the closed position.

Although only one fastener is needed to secure the base and cover members in the closed position, multiple fasteners are preferred.

The collars 7 also serve as a catch member for holding sheets of paper to the snap binder. In this embodiment, when the base and cover members are secured in the closed position by the shaft 6 and collar 7 type fastener, the catch member is formed by the collar 7 between the base member 2 and the cover member 3. In this case, the catch member engages the holes in a sheet of paper. The number, dimension, and spacing of the collars 7 are chosen to accommodate the type of paper to be held in the snap binder 1. Although a shaft 6 and collar 7 fastener is preferred, other types of two part fasteners are suitable which will also serve as a catch member including magnetic and snap fasteners. In addition, other catch members can used that are independent of the structure of the fastener. Such catch members can be attached to either the base or cover member.

Suitable catch members include hooks, loops, clamps, and posts.

In order to provide releasable attachment of the snap binder 1 into a ringed binder having either posts or rings, the snap binder includes at least one attachment member 13 connected to either the base member and movable with respect thereto. Generally, the attachment member 13 may be used to releasably secure the snap binder 1 to any anchor such as a hook, loop, shaft, or ring whether or not that anchor is located in a binder. The attachment member 13 is moveable between a release position and a engaged position. In the release position, the snap binder 1 may be inserted onto and removed from the anchor. In the engaged position, the snap binder 1 is held securely to the anchor.

Thus, the attachment member 13 defines at least one area having an interior region wherein the attachment member 13 and the area are configured to permit said anchor to enter and exit the interior region when the attachment member 13 is in the release position and to retain the anchor within the interior region when the attachment member is in the engaged position.

As discussed above, the snap binder 1 is insertable into a binder or folder having standard posts or rings. The attachment member 13 includes end portions 14 slideably engaged to the base member 2. The end portions 14 are slideable from the engaged position as shown in Figures 1-8 to the release position as shown in Figures 9-14. Each end portion 14 has a hook portion 15 having a distal end 16. In the engaged position (Figures 1-8), the distal end 16 engages the base member 2, forming a closed loop 17. In the release position as shown in Figures 9-14, the hook portion 15 and the base member 2 form an open loop 18. As can been seen, the ring of a binder can pass into and out of the open loop 18 but would be retained in the closed loop 17. The attachment member can be configured to fit a binder that itself is configured to hold paper the same size as the paper in the snap binder.

Slideable engagement of the end portions 14 to the base member 2 can be achieved by extension portions 19 located on either end of the base member 2 to which the end portions 14 are slideably engaged as shown in Figure 11.

Referring specifically to Figures 3,8,11, and 14, the distance of slide of the each end portion 14 along an extension portion 19 is limited by a slot 20 in the end portion 14 having a first end 21 and a second end 22. The first end 21 is in contact with a post 23 extending from the extension portion 19 through the slot 20 when the attachment member 13 is in the engaged position as shown in Figures 3 and 8. The second end 22 is in contact with the post 23 when the attachment member 13 is in the release position as shown in Figures 11 and 14. The end portions 14 also include a first hole 24 and a second hole 25. The first hole 24 is in engagement with a tang 26 extending from the extension portion 19 when the attachment member 13 is in the engaged <BR> <BR> <BR> position as shown in Figures 3 and 8. The second hole 25 is<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> in engagement with the tang 26 when the attachment member 13 is in the release position as shown in Figures 11 and 14.

This secures the end portions 14 in either the engaged or release positions. Additional stability is provided to the end portions 14 in the engaged position by nubs 27 extending from the distal ends 16 that snugly engage indentions 28 as shown in Figure 9 in the base member 2. These indentations are preferably substantially in line with the pivot axis 5 along the back edge 4 of the base member 2. Therefore, the end portions are strengthened against being twisted and possibly damaged.

Additional sheets of paper, including smaller sheets of paper and paper that does not include holes, may be attached to the snap binder 1 by additional securing members such as tabs 29. The tabs 29 are attached to either the cover or base member. Any number of tabs may be included depending on the size of the paper and the number of sheets to be attached. Preferably, the snap binder includes two tabs 29 attached to an exterior surface of the cover member 3. The two tabs 29 prevent the attached sheets from curling

or pivoting while adequately securing the paper to the snap binder 1.

The snap binder 1 can accommodate any one of a number of standard ring or post patterns in a binder. In order to accommodate the ring patterns the number and spacing of the attachment members can be adjusted accordingly.

Notches 31 are provided in the snap binder 1 to accommodate the necessary number of rings or posts but without being part of the attachment member. Since the attachment member 13 included the two end portions 14 to accommodate two rings in a binder, a notch 31 passing through the base and cover members along the back edge 4 in the appropriate location is provided for three ring binders. The notch 31 is open so as to allow insertion and removal of the snap binder without opening or dismantling the rings of the binder. Any number or alignment of notches can be provided depending upon the ring or post pattern in the binder.

In order for the snap binder 1 to serve as a hanger for a rail style hanging file folder system, the end portions 14 include recesses 32. The recesses 32 are open along a side of the end portion 14 corresponding to the front edge 9 of the base member 2. The recesses 32 are sized to accommodate the supports of the hanging file system. When the attachment member 13 is in the release position, the spacing between the recesses 32 accommodates the spacing of the rails. When the attachment member 13 is in the engaged position and the cover and base members are in the closed position, the recesses 32 are covered by the superimposition of the end portions of the cover member. Further the recesses 32 are not spaced to accommodate the spacing of the supports when the attachment member 13 is in the engaged position.

Referring now to Figure 15, the snap binder works in conjunction with a binder to create a modular paper holding system. A binder 33 generally consists of a first panel pivotally connected to a second panel to define an interior region therebetween. Preferable the binder has a binding 34 and first and second panels or front and back

covers 35. The snap binder 1 is shown with the end portions 14 of the attachment member 13 in the engaged position. The closed loop 17 encloses two solid hooks 36 attach to the binding 34. The hooks 36 are attached to the binding by cloth straps 37 as shown in Fig. 17. Any number or type of hook or ring pattern can be utilized. For example, the snap binder can be used in a binder having a three ring binder mechanism 38 containing three rings in Fig. 16.

From the preceding discussion, it is understood that the snap binder is currently secured in the hook binder. By moving the attachment member 13 to the release position, the snap binder can be removed from the hooked binder and either used independently as a binder or placed in a hanging file type system. The base and cover member of the snap binder 1 can be rotated from the closed to the open position so that the anchored sheets of paper can be changed and the snap binder reinserted into the hook binder. Alternatively, a second snap binder containing sheets of paper can be inserted in place of or in addition to the first snap binder.

Therefore, the present invention provides a truly modular system for the storage, use and display of sheets of paper.

One of ordinary skill in the art can envision numerus variations and modifications. All of these modifications are contemplated by the true spirit and scope of the following claims.