Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02478972 2010-12-06
REPORT FOLDER
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a report cover for containing a report or other
documents.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many methods have been developed to bind reports and other documents. One
common method is the use of the flexible comb binding as sold by GBC Co. This
binding has a plastic backing from which extends a series of adjacent plastic
loops which
each have an unattached, free end. The resiliency of the loops causes the free
ends to curl
in a circle to engage the backing to effectively form a closed loop. The
documents to be
bound are punched with rectangular holes along the inner edge of the documents
to
permit a loop to pass through each hole. A machine available from GBC and
other
sources is employed to open up the loops sufficiently to allow a person to fit
the
documents onto the loops. The machine then allows the loops to close,
effectively
binding the report.
The flexible comb binding comes in a variety of sizes, depending on the
thickness
of the document. However, it is common to use a binding having a larger
diameter than
the thickness of the document itself, resulting in the comb binding
interfering with the
normal use, appearance and storage of the document. For example, it is
difficult to stack
a series of documents bound by such a flexible comb binding as the binding has
a greater
diameter than the document thickness. Also, the flexible comb binding can
catch on
edges and interfere with the operation of the report and the plastic loops
often pull apart
from the document cover and sheets. Unlike conventionally bound books with
titles
printed on their spines, plastic comb binding makes spine titling very
difficult. Without
the title printed on the spine of a report, the report can't be identified
from its edge.
Other bindings are common as well. Spiral binding is, literally, spiral wire
or
plastic coils which bind, for example, school writing pads and many reports
bound by
professional binderies. Spiral bindings, both metal and plastic, use round
holes in the
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documents being bound. Another binding is metal loops or loop wire binding. A
twin
loop wire binding is common on planners.
All of these methods of binding perform the function of permitting the turning
of
pages in the bound report. However, the bindings are exposed and are thicker
than the
report itself, so that the reports can't be stacked flat like books. None of
the binding
methods provide for convenient spine titling, making filing, finding and
retrieval of the
report more difficult.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a report cover for binding a report,
comprising: a first member having a series of holes therein to receive a
binding, the binding
holding a report therein; and a second member having a back cover with a
pocket, a side
cover hingably connected to an edge of the back cover and a front cover
hingably connected
to an edge of the side cover, the first member engaged in the pocket, the
second member
enclosing the binding and report, the pocket being formed integral with the
back cover and
being formed without adhesive or other fastener.
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a report cover for binding a report,
comprising: a binding holding a report therein; a first member having a series
of holes therein
to receive the binding, the first member at the back of the report; and a
second member having
a back cover with a pocket, a side cover hingably connected to an edge of the
back cover and
a front cover hingably connected to an edge of the side cover, the first
member engaged in the
pocket, the second member enclosing the binding and report, the pocket and
back cover being
formed integrally and without adhesive or other fastener.
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a method for binding a report in a
report
cover, comprising the steps of. binding the report and a first member with a
binding; inserting
the first member in a pocket of a back cover of a second member, the second
member having
a side cover hingably connected to an edge of the back cover and a front cover
hingably
connected to an edge of the side cover, the pocket and back cover being formed
integrally and
without adhesive or other fastener; and folding the side cover and front cover
about the hinges
to fold the side and front covers over the report to enclose the report.
In accordance with other embodiments, a report cover is provided
which includes a first member which has a series of holes therein to receive a
flexible
binding, the flexible binding holding a report therein. A second member has a
back cover
with a pocket, a side cover hingably connected to an edge of the back cover
and a front
cover hingably connected to an edge of the side cover. The first member
engages the
pocket in the second member. The second member encloses the flexible binding
and the
report to bind the report and provides a spine which may be titled for easy
shelf retrieval.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete understanding of the invention and its advantages will be
apparent from the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction
with the
accompanying Drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side cross sectional view of a report cover forming a first
embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the cover portion of the report cover;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the insert of the report cover and a flexible comb
binding;
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the report cover closed over the report
and
flexible comb binding;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the cover portion, insert and flexible comb binding
assembled, without the report;
Figure 6 is a detail view of an optional tab and receiver to hold the insert
and
report in the cover;
Figure 7 is a side cross sectional view of the report cover using a modified
cover
portion which is a single piece;
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Figure 8 is a perspective view of the modified cover portion;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the cover portion of Figure 8 being folded
to
form a pocket;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the cover portion of Figure 8 further in
the
folding process to form the pocket; and
Figure 11 is a perspective view of the cover portion of Figure 8 folded to
form the
pocket and receive the insert.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate
like or
corresponding parts throughout the several views, a report cover 10 forming a
first
embodiment of the invention will be described. The report cover 10 will be
used to
enclose a report or document 12 which is bound by the conventional, well-known
flexible
comb binding 14. Comb binding 14 of this type is sold by GBC Co. Such comb
bindings
can be purchased, for example, through Office Depot in their office supplies
Big Book of
spring 2001 on page 579. While the report cover will be illustrated and
described for use
with a comb binding, it should be understood that the report cover 10 can also
be used
with other types of binding, such as spiral binding, wire loop binding and
twin wire loop
binding to achieve the same advantages.
GBC makes the flexible comb binding 14 from PVC plastic and, referring to
Figure 3, the comb binding 14 will commonly have a backing 16 and a series of
nineteen
plastic rings 18. One end of each ring is formed integrally with the backing
16 and the
other end is free. The natural resiliency of the rings 18 is such that the
free end will
typically curve around and engage the backing 16 to form a closed loop. GBC
sells such
flexible comb bindings in a variety of diameters to accommodate the thickness
of a
particular document and report, which is usually determined by the number of
pages in the
report. For example, flexible comb bindings are sold by GBC in diameters of
1/4 inch
(manufacturer's number IBC1 8242), 5/16 inch, 3/8 inch, 1/2 inch, 5/8 inch,
3/4 inch, 1
inch, 1 1/2 inch and 2 inch (manufacturer's number IBC15322). A 1/4 inch
diameter
flexible comb binding is designed to accommodate a report of 20 pages while a
1 inch
diameter comb binding is designed to accommodate 200 pages, for example.
As noted, the use of a comb binding 14 to bind a report often results in an
awkward
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assembly. A sufficiently large diameter flexible comb binding 14 must be
chosen to bind
the report in order to provide ease of turning pages. However, this often
results in a larger
diameter flexible comb binding 14 than the thickness of the report. This leads
to problems
stacking reports and using them because of the awkwardness of the flexible
comb binding
14. As will be explained, the report cover 10 resolves all of these problems,
provides an
excellent final appearance to the report and has a "spine" surface for report
titling to allow
rapid viewing and access when the report is stored on shelves or in drawers.
The report cover 10 includes an insert 20 which is made of a relatively rigid
material, such as a multiple ply cotton bond. Insert 20 can be 260 lb board,
for example.
Suitable rectangular holes 22 are formed along a first edge 24 of the insert,
sized to receive
the rings 18 of the flexible comb binding 14. (if report cover 10 was used
with a spiral
binding, the holes 22 would be round) For example, when using the common PVC
plastic
binding 14 with nineteen rings, nineteen holes 22 will be formed along the
first edge 24,
each hole receiving a ring 18. As the user opens the rings 18 on the flexible
comb binding
14 to place the report 12 thereon, the user will also place the insert 20 on
the binding so
that it is at the back of the report.
The report cover 10 also includes a cover 26, which includes a back cover 28,
a
side spine cover 30 and a front cover 32. The cover 26 is preferably formed of
a single
piece of material, such as multiple ply cotton bond, which forms folding
hinges 34 and 36
between the back cover 28 and side cover 30 and between the side cover 30 and
the front
cover 32. A pocket 38 is formed on the inside 40 of the back cover 28 to
receive a portion
of the insert 20, as seen in figures 1 and 5. This will hold the report 12 and
flexible comb
binding 14 within the cover 26. The width W of the side cover 30 is designed
to be as
wide or slightly wider than the diameter D of the flexible comb binding 14.
Thus, as seen
in Figure 4, the report cover 10 will surround and enclose the report 12 and
flexible comb
binding 14 to bind and protect the report 12 and the binding 14, while
eliminating the
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prior disadvantages in use of the flexible comb binding 14. As can be
understood, it will
be easier to stack a series of reports within report covers 10 using the
flexible comb
binding 14. Further, the flexible comb binding 14 will no longer be exposed to
interfere
with use of the report 12. Also, the report cover 10 provides a very
attractive and
professional final appearance to the document 12. With a "book-like" spine
formed by side
cover 30, the report cover 10 can be titled for easy retrieval while stacked,
standing or filed
in drawers.
The edges 42 and 44 of the insert 20 can be slightly tapered toward the edge
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opposite first edge 24 as seen in Figure 3. This can act to wedge the insert
20 within the
pocket 38 to resist shifting of the report 12 within the report cover 10. As
illustrated in
Figure 6, a tab 50 can be formed on the insert 20 to engage a receiver 52 in
the pocket to
provide a physical engagement of the insert 20 with the pocket 38 to resist
removal of the
report 12. An edge of the tab 50 can also be slightly tapered as seen in
Figure 6 to provide
a wedging action between the tab 50 and receiver 52. Alternatively, the insert
20 can be
adhesively secured to the back cover 28 by a suitable adhesive 70 as seen in
Figure 2, or
secured by a Velcro hook 72 and loop 74 attachment as seen in Figures 2 and 3
or other
suitable mechanism to hold the insert 20 within the pocket 38 of the cover 26.
The pocket 38 can be formed as a separate piece from the cover 26 and then
glued
or otherwise secured to the back cover 28. If a separate piece, the pocket
will preferably
have foldable tabs at three edges thereof which are folded inwardly and
secured to cover
26 to provide a suitable pocket to receive insert 20. Alternatively, the
pocket 38 can be
formed as an integral piece of the cover 28 by suitably die cutting the cover
26 with the
pocket 38 which can be folded into the final position and secured thereto by
adhesive.
When formed integral with the cover 26, the pocket 38 has side tabs 80 and 82
which can
be folded inwardly and secured to the cover 28 to provide the pocket as seen
in Figures 1,
2, 4 and 5. An advantage of a pocket 38 formed from a separate piece is that
the pocket
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can be made of lighter weight material than the cover 26. The tabs can be
secured to back
cover 28 by an adhesive covered by a peelable strip until use, glue or any
other suitable'
securing technique.
As noted, while report cover 10 is illustrated for use with a flexible comb
binding,
other binding mechanisms such as spiral coils or twin loop wires can be used
with report
cover 10. Also, a conventional three-ring binder element 60 as shown in the
inset in
Figure 3 can be secured to insert 20. The report cover 10 would provide the
advantage of
enclosing the three-ring binder element in the same manner as the flexible
comb binding
14. If a three-ring binder element were to be used, the three-ring binder
element could be
riveted to the insert 20 in the same manner that the conventional three-ring
binder element
is riveted onto the back of the conventional three ring binder cover, glued
thereto or
otherwise secured to the insert 20. Alternatively, insert 20 could have holes
62 formed
therein as illustrated in dotted line in Figure 3 to fit the three rings of
the binder 60.
With reference now to Figures 7-11, a modified cover portion 100 will be
described that can be used in report cover 10 to substitute for the cover 26.
An advantage
of cover portion 100 is that it requires no adhesive or other separate
fastener to form the
pocket 102 therein to receive the insert 20. Pocket 102 can also be referred
to as a pouch
or receiver.
The cover portion 100 can be die cut from a single piece of material, such as
multiple ply cotton bond, just as cover 26. Cover portion 100 includes back
cover 104,
side spine cover 106, front cover 108, side tabs 110 and end tab 112. The
pocket 102 is
formed by initially folding side tabs 110 inwardly toward the inside 114 of
back cover 104
about hinge lines 116 and 118 formed in the cover portion 100 as seen in
Figure 9 and then
folding the end tab 112 over tabs 110 about hinge line 120 formed in the cover
portion 100
as seen in Figure 10. The pocket is completed by folding the outer end 122 of
end tab 112
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about hinge line 124 back under the side tabs 110 as seen in Figures 10 and
11. The cover
portion 100 thus forms pocket 102 to receive the insert 20 without the use of
adhesive or
any other fastener. The corners of the insert 20 inserted into the pocket 102
can be rounded
to facilitate the insertion. The design of cover portion 100 also allows the
pocket 102 to be
disassembled, if desired, by simply reversing the process of forming the
pocket by
unfolding the end tab 112 and side tabs 110. As in cover portion 26, cover
portion 100
forms folding hinges 130 and 132 between the back cover 104 and side cover 106
and
between the side cover 106 and the front cover 108 so that the report cover 10
with cover
portion 100 will also surround and enclose the report 12 and flexible comb
binding 14 to
form a book-like spine for labeling and titling, as well as to bind and
protect the report 12
and the binding 14. Clearly, the report cover 10 using cover portion 100 can
also be used
with flexible comb binding, spiral coils, twin loop wires, conventional three-
ring binder.
elements, and other and other binding mechanisms. Also, insert 20 can be
adhesively
secured to the back cover 104 by a suitable adhesive 70 or secured by a Velcro
hook 72
and loop 74 attachment or other suitable mechanism.
While a single embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it
will be
understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed, but
is capable of
numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions of parts and elements
without
departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
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