A ring mechanism has pivoting hinge plates supported by a housing so pivoting of the hinge plates can open and close rings for holding the loose-leaf pages. The mechanism has an actuator including a lower arm for moving the hinge plates to open the rings and an upper arm for moving the hinge plates to close the rings. The upper arm has a hook thereon. An intermediate connector comprises a cross bar captured by the hook on the actuator. The intermediate connector connects a travel bar to the actuator so movement of the actuator to pivot the hinge plates causes longitudinal movement of the travel bar in the housing. A locking element is moveable with the travel bar between a locking position and non-locking position.

A ring mechanism has pivoting hinge plates supported by a housing so pivoting of the hinge plates can open and close rings for holding the loose-leaf pages. The mechanism has an actuator including a lower arm for moving the hinge plates to open the rings and an upper arm for moving the hinge plates to close the rings. The upper arm has a hook thereon. An intermediate connector comprises a cross bar captured by the hook on the actuator. The intermediate connector connects a travel bar to the actuator so movement of the actuator to pivot the hinge plates causes longitudinal movement of the travel bar in the housing. A locking element is moveable with the travel bar between a locking position and non-locking position.

A ring mechanism has pivoting hinge plates supported by a housing so pivoting of the hinge plates can open and close rings for holding the loose-leaf pages. The mechanism has an actuator including a lower arm for moving the hinge plates to open the rings and an upper arm for moving the hinge plates to close the rings. The upper arm has a hook thereon. An intermediate connector comprises a cross bar captured by the hook on the actuator. The intermediate connector connects a travel bar to the actuator so movement of the actuator to pivot the hinge plates causes longitudinal movement of the travel bar in the housing. A locking element is moveable with the travel bar between a locking position and non-locking position.

A ring mechanism has pivoting hinge plates supported by a housing so pivoting of the hinge plates can open and close rings for holding the loose-leaf pages. The mechanism has an actuator including a lower arm for moving the hinge plates to open the rings and an upper arm for moving the hinge plates to close the rings. The upper arm has a hook thereon. An intermediate connector comprises a cross bar captured by the hook on the actuator. The intermediate connector connects a travel bar to the actuator so movement of the actuator to pivot the hinge plates causes longitudinal movement of the travel bar in the housing. A locking element is moveable with the travel bar between a locking position and non-locking position.

A single-detent binder for a file folder has a housing, one pair of baseplates, ring shaped components, a control component, a pull rod, rotary locking pieces and an intermediate junction component. The control component, intermediate junction component, pull rod and rotary locking pieces are connected in series. When the control component rotates, the rotary locking pieces are triggered to rotate in the trough of the first baseplate based on the mechanical principle of connecting rod, thus performing the locking/unlocking function. When the binder is closed, the baffle plates on the second baseplate hinder the rotary locking pieces from rotation, thus generating a clamping force. After the baffle plates and rotary locking pieces work jointly to close the binder, the ring shaped components generate a scrambling force, thus enhancing the locking effect and preventing the single-detent binder from opening unexpectedly.

A single-detent binder for a file folder has a housing, one pair of baseplates, ring shaped components, a control component, a pull rod, rotary locking pieces and an intermediate junction component. The control component, intermediate junction component, pull rod and rotary locking pieces are connected in series. When the control component rotates, the rotary locking pieces are triggered to rotate in the trough of the first baseplate based on the mechanical principle of connecting rod, thus performing the locking/unlocking function. When the binder is closed, the baffle plates on the second baseplate hinder the rotary locking pieces from rotation, thus generating a clamping force. After the baffle plates and rotary locking pieces work jointly to close the binder, the ring shaped components generate a scrambling force, thus enhancing the locking effect and preventing the single-detent binder from opening unexpectedly.

A method for assembling a single-detent binder includes assembling ring shaped components and first and second baseplates to a housing. The first and second baseplates are longitudinally adjacent and parallelly arranged and connected to each other. The first and second baseplates include adjacent longitudinal edges and non-adjacent longitudinal edges. The first and second baseplates are so assembled as to pivot around the adjacent longitudinal edges in order to open or close the ring shaped components. The ring shaped components each include two half ring shaped elements. The half ring shaped elements each are fixed on the first and second baseplates and pass through the housing. The half ring shaped elements occlude to form a closed ring, and the half ring shaped elements disjoin to form an opened ring. The method further includes assembling the control component to the housing, rotatively connecting at least one rotary locking piece to a pull rod, rotatively connecting the rotary locking piece to one of the first and second baseplates, and operatively connecting the pull rod to the control component. The control component includes a handle, which enables the control component to rotate relative to the housing. Assembling the ring shaped components and the first and second baseplates to the housing are performed simultaneously with rotatively connecting the rotary locking piece to the pull rod.

A method for assembling a single-detent binder includes assembling ring shaped components and first and second baseplates to a housing. The first and second baseplates are longitudinally adjacent and parallelly arranged and connected to each other. The first and second baseplates include adjacent longitudinal edges and non-adjacent longitudinal edges. The first and second baseplates are so assembled as to pivot around the adjacent longitudinal edges in order to open or close the ring shaped components. The ring shaped components each include two half ring shaped elements. The half ring shaped elements each are fixed on the first and second baseplates and pass through the housing. The half ring shaped elements occlude to form a closed ring, and the half ring shaped elements disjoin to form an opened ring. The method further includes assembling the control component to the housing, rotatively connecting at least one rotary locking piece to a pull rod, rotatively connecting the rotary locking piece to one of the first and second baseplates, and operatively connecting the pull rod to the control component. The control component includes a handle, which enables the control component to rotate relative to the housing. Assembling the ring shaped components and the first and second baseplates to the housing are performed simultaneously with rotatively connecting the rotary locking piece to the pull rod.

A ring binder mechanism that includes a housing, first and second hinge boards positioned in the housing that cooperate to define a slot having a closing edge and an opening edge. The hinge boards are pivotable between open and closed positions. A plurality of pairs of semi-rings include first and second ring members mounted on the first and second hinge boards, respectively. A travel bar is positioned below the hinge boards and moveable with respect to the housing and the hinge boards between an open position and a closed position. The travel bar includes at least one top bar extending from a top surface thereof that includes inclined opening and closing surfaces. The top bar extends through the slot in the hinge boards and is biased toward the open position. The inclined opening surface of the top bar contacts the opening edge of the slot to pivot the first and second hinge boards to the open position.

A ring binder mechanism that includes a housing, first and second hinge boards positioned in the housing that cooperate to define a slot having a closing edge and an opening edge. The hinge boards are pivotable between open and closed positions. A plurality of pairs of semi-rings include first and second ring members mounted on the first and second hinge boards, respectively. A travel bar is positioned below the hinge boards and moveable with respect to the housing and the hinge boards between an open position and a closed position. The travel bar includes at least one top bar extending from a top surface thereof that includes inclined opening and closing surfaces. The top bar extends through the slot in the hinge boards and is biased toward the open position. The inclined opening surface of the top bar contacts the opening edge of the slot to pivot the first and second hinge boards to the open position.