초록 ▼

A binder having molding thereon is provided. The binder may have two panels connected to one another by a hinge and a binding mechanism connected to one of the panels and designed to receive an article, such as one or more sheets of loose-leaf paper and other such articles. Molding may be located on

A binder having molding thereon is provided. The binder may have two panels connected to one another by a hinge and a binding mechanism connected to one of the panels and designed to receive an article, such as one or more sheets of loose-leaf paper and other such articles. Molding may be located on the hinges to reinforce the hinge and may be less hard than the panel material. Molding may be located along the entire length of the hinge or in discrete sections spaced from one another along the hinge. Molding may also be located on edges of the cover panels, such as along the entire edge or at the corners between the edges. The material of the molding may be a different material than the material of the panels. To form the molding on or with the panels, techniques such as comolding or overmolding may be employed.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A binder for retaining an item, the binder comprising: first and second panels constructed and arranged to at least partially cover the retained item, said first and second panels including a panel material; and a molding molded on or with a first portion of at least one of s

What is claimed is: 1. A binder for retaining an item, the binder comprising: first and second panels constructed and arranged to at least partially cover the retained item, said first and second panels including a panel material; and a molding molded on or with a first portion of at least one of said first and second panels, said molding including a molding material, the molding material and the panel material being different materials, wherein the at least one of said first and second panels has the first portion on which said molding is located and a second portion which does not have any molding located thereon, the first portion has a first thickness and the second portion has a second thickness, the molding has a third thickness, and wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness and a combination of the first and third thicknesses is greater than or equal to the second thickness. 2. The binder of claim 1, wherein the molding material has a first hardness and the panel material has a second hardness, and wherein the first hardness is less hard than the second hardness. 3. The binder of claim 1, wherein the at least one of said first and second panels has a first edge and wherein the first portion on which said molding is located includes at least a portion of the first edge. 4. The binder of claim 3, wherein the at least one of said first and second panels has a second edge, a third edge, a first corner defined by a convergence of the first and second edges, and a second corner defined by a convergence of the first and third edges, wherein the first portion includes at least two discrete sections, the two discrete sections including a first section and a second section spaced from the first section, and wherein the first section is located at the first corner and the second section is located at the second corner. 5. The binder of claim 3, wherein the first portion is located along an entire length of the first edge. 6. The binder of claim 3, further comprising a spine panel and first and second hinges connecting the spine panel to said first and second panels, respectively, and wherein the molding covered portion of the at least one of said first and second panels includes at least a portion of the respective hinge. 7. The binder of claim 1, wherein said molding is overmolded onto the at least one of said first and second panels. 8. The binder of claim 1, wherein said molding is comolded with the at least one of said first and second panels. 9. The binder of claim 1, further comprising at least one binding mechanism cooperating with said first and second panels, the item being retained in said at least one binding mechanism. 10. A binder comprising: a first panel; a second panel; a hinge located between said first and second panels, said hinge having a first side and a second side; and a molding molded on or with at least a first portion of at least one of the first and second sides of said hinge, wherein said first panel has a first panel thickness, said second panel has a second panel thickness, said hinge has a hinge thickness, and said molding has a molding thickness, wherein the hinge thickness is less than at least one of the panel thicknesses, and a combination of the hinge and molding thicknesses is greater than or equal to at least one of the panel thicknesses. 11. The binder of claim 10, wherein said molding includes a molding material having a first hardness and said hinge includes a hinge material having a second hardness, and wherein the first hardness is less hard than the second hardness. 12. The binder of claim 10, wherein said molding includes thermoplastic elastomer. 13. The binder of claim 10, wherein said hinge is formed integrally with the first and second panels. 14. The binder of claim 10, wherein said hinge is a living hinge. 15. The binder of claim 10, wherein said hinge includes polypropylene. 16. The binder of claim 10, wherein said first and second panels are each formed as a continuous piece of plastic. 17. The binder of claim 16, wherein the continuous piece of plastic includes polypropylene. 18. The binder of claim 10, wherein said molding is located on at least a portion of both the first and second sides of said hinge. 19. The binder of claim 10, wherein said first and second panels include a panel portion adjacent said hinge, and wherein said molding is formed on or with the panel portion adjacent said hinge. 20. The binder of claim 10, wherein said molding is located along an entire length of the at least one of said first and second sides of said hinge. 21. The binder of claim 10, wherein said hinge has a first end and a second end, wherein the first portion includes at least two discrete sections, the two discrete sections includes a first section and a second section spaced from the first section, and wherein the first section is located at the first end and the second section is located at the second end. 22. The binder of claim 10, further comprising at least one binding mechanism cooperating with said first and second panels. 23. The binder of claim 22, wherein said first panel is a first cover panel of the binder and said second panel is a spine panel of the binder. 24. The binder of claim 23, further comprising a third panel being a second cover panel of the binder and a second hinge connecting said third panel to the spine panel. 25. The binder of claim 22, wherein said first panel is a first cover panel of the binder and said second panel is a second cover panel of the binder. 26. A method of making a binder including a first panel and a second panel, the method comprising: placing a preformed or fluid material in a mold so as to form the first panel and the second panel, an area between the panels defining a joint; adding a molding material into the mold; and forming a molding on at least a portion of at least one of the first panel, the second panel, and the joint, the molding formed of a thermoplastic elastomer and the first and second panels formed of a material that is substantially harder than the material of the molding. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein placing a preformed or fluid material in a mold so as to form the first panel and the second panel comprises placing preformed first and second panels into the mold before adding the molding material into the mold. 28. The method of claim 26, wherein placing a preformed or fluid material in a mold so as to form the first panel and the second panel comprises placing fluid material into the mold and forming the first and second panels in the mold before adding the molding material. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein forming the first and second panels occurs at approximately the same time as forming the molding. 30. The method of claim 28, wherein adding the molding material and forming the molding occur after forming the first and second panels. 31. The method of claim 26, wherein forming a molding on at least a portion of at least one of the first panel, the second panel, and the joint comprises forming a molding on at least a section of one of the first and second panels that is spaced from the joint. 32. The method of claim 26, wherein the joint includes a hinge located between the first and second panels and wherein forming a molding on at least a portion of at least one of the first panel, the second panel, and the joint comprises forming the molding at the joint. 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the joint includes a hinge located between the first and second panels and wherein forming a molding on at least a portion of at least one of the first panel, the second panel, and the joint comprises forming the molding on at least a section of the hinge. 34. A binder comprising: a first panel including a first panel material; a second panel formed discretely from said first panel, said second panel including a second panel material; and a molding connecting a first hinge edge of said first panel to a second hinge edge of said second panel, said molding having a first portion which covers the first hinge edge, a second portion which covers the second hinge edge, and a joining portion which extends between the first hinge edge and the second hinge edge, said molding including a molding material, the molding material being different from both the first and second panel materials, and wherein the molding material is a thermoplastic elastomer. 35. The binder of claim 34, wherein the molding material had a first hardness and one of the first and second panel materials has a second hardness, and wherein the first hardness is less hard than the second hardness. 36. The binder of claim 34, wherein said molding is the only connection between said first and second panels. 37. The binder of claim 34, wherein said molding is overmolded onto the at least one of said first and second panels. 38. The binder of claim 34, wherein said molding is comolded with the at least one of said first and second panels. 39. The binder of claim 34, wherein said molding allows said first panel to rotate relative to said second panel. 40. A binder comprising: a first panel including a first panel material, a second panel including a second panel material, and a third panel that is positioned between said first and said second panel; and a molding connecting a first hinge edge of said first panel to a second hinge edge of said second panel, said molding having a first portion attached to the first hinge edge, a second portion attached to the second hinge edge, and a joining portion which extends between the first hinge edge and the second hinge edge, said molding including a molding material, the molding material being different from both the first and second panel materials. 41. The binder of claim 40, wherein said molding is located along the entire length of the first and second hinge edge. 42. The binder of claim 40, wherein said molding is located in discrete sections spaced from one another along the first and second hinge edge. 43. The binder of claim 40, wherein said first panel is formed discretely from said second panel. 44. The binder of claim 40, wherein the molding material had a first hardness and one of the first and second panel materials has a second hardness, and wherein the first hardness is less hard than the second hardness. 45. The binder of claim 40, wherein said molding is overmolded onto the at least one of said first and second panels. 46. The binder of claim 40, wherein said molding is comolded with the at least one of said first and second panels. 47. The binder of claim 40, wherein said molding is comprises a thermoplastic elastomer. 48. The binder of claim 40, wherein each of said first and second panels is formed of polypropylene. 49. The binder of claim 40, wherein the first panel comprises a cover panel and wherein the second panel comprises a spine panel.