AU2017101253A4

AU2017101253A4 - Punch

Info

Publication number: AU2017101253A4
Application number: AU2017101253A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Terrence George Morgan; Andrew Duke Pryer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-09-13
Filing date: 2017-09-13
Publication date: 2017-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 2025-09-13

Abstract

A punch accessory including a handle 18, a block 2 and a receiving device or resilient plastic blade 20 all held together with two screws 16. The block 2 with features including a larger punch holder 4, a smaller punch holder 6 and three threaded screw 5 holes 14.

Description

PUNCH ACCESSORY

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a punch accessory. More particularly, this invention relates to a punch accessory which holds metal punches while in use.

BACKGROUND ART

The following references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the following prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

While adhesive labels are commonly used to record manufacturer, model number and trade mark on a product, some products carry a nameplate or are marked with words and numbers on a prominent part so as to remain readable for the life of the product. A component of the product to be marked in this way is placed on an anvil and struck with a series of hard steel punches using a hand-held hammer. Sometimes the punch leaves the hand and must be retrieved. Many are not but more troublesome is the risk of hand injury from the hammer. The accessory will also hold miniature chisels and the term “punch” includes these and similar small tool bits.

An object of the present invention is to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art or to at least provide a useful alternative thereto.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

The invention according to one or more aspects is as defined in the independent claims. Some optional and/or preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

Accordingly, in one aspect of the invention there is provided: A punch accessory comprising a block, a handle extending from the block and a punch retainer for contacting the punch and retaining it in the holder while the punch is struck.

The block may be a formed body with one or more punch holders for the reception of one or more different sized punches. Preferably, the block has a pair of punch holders to take punches of two different sizes. The punch holders may have a square cross section. The punch holders may have a cross section whereby the corners of the functional face of a rectangular prism shaped punch would not contact the internal surfaces of the punch holders. This is so that the face which creates the indentation is not damaged and the indentation shape remains the same. This may be accomplished by having raised surfaces which line up with the centre of the four faces of the rectangular prism shaped punch such that the raised surfaces may only come in contact with the side faces on the punch. Preferably, the four internal faces of the punch holder have raised surfaces. Most preferably, the four internal faces of the punch holder have convex cross section profiles. The block may be made of plastic, metal, rubber or other suitable materials. Preferably the block is made of acetal. The block may be made using processes including machining, moulding, 3D printing and/or other suitable manufacturing methods. Preferably, the block is made using 3D printing.

The punch retainer may be a resilient member which is activated through loading the punch into the punch holder. The retainer may be activated manually via a switch or device which allows the retainer to come into contact with the punch. Preferably, the retainer is activated through loading the punch into the punch holder. The retainer may hold the punch in the holder through frictional contact. The frictional contact may be applied through an elastically deformable material such as rubber, for example an undersized o-ring compared to the outer diameter of the punch, whereby the o-ring sits in the punch holders. The frictional contact may be applied through a spring device, for example, a spring is attached to a block which applies force to the punch when inserted into the punch holder. The frictional contact may be applied through a bendable cantilever, for example, a thin piece of a bendable material is attached to the top of the punch accessory such that it interferes with the punch when the punch is inserted into the punch holder. This interference bends the bendable material and applies horizontal force to the punch. Preferably, the frictional contact is applied through a bendable cantilever. The retainer may be made of plastic, metal, rubber or other suitable materials. Preferably, the retainer is made of plastic. The retainer may lie on top of, in between or below the handle and the block. The retainer may be incorporated into the handle and/or the block, such that it is formed from the same material or is welded or fused together. Preferably, the retainer lies on top of the handle and the block. There may be one or more retainers. There may be one retainer for each punch holder. A retainer may retain the punches in more than one punch holder. The orientation or position of the handle and/or retainer may be changed such that the one retainer can be relocated to apply frictional force to different punch holders. For example, a retainer may be in an orientation to apply frictional force to a first punch and then may be re-positioned to apply frictional force to a second punch. Preferably the orientation of the handle and retainer can be changed such that they can be used for two different sized punch holders.

The handle may be an elongated bar which distances the hand from the punch. The handle may lie between the block and the retainer, such that the punch accessory is held together by screws or other devices wherein the handle is held or sandwiched between the block and the punch retainer for at least one portion of the handle. The handle may lie on top of or beneath the retainer and the block. The handle may be incorporated into the retainer or the block, such that they are formed from the same piece of material or are permanently welded or fused together. The handle may screw into the block. Preferably, the handle lies between the block and the retainer. The handle may be made of plastic, metal, rubber or other suitable materials. The handle may be made of multiple materials and/or have multiple components. For example, the structural component of the handle may be metal and a rubber grip may be placed over the metal. Preferably, the handle is metal.

The punch accessory may include devices to hold the handle, the block and the retainer together such as screws, bolts, welds or glue/fusing, interlocking features and/or threads on the components. One or more components of the retainer, handle and block may be formed from the same piece of material. Preferably, the retainer, handle and block are held together using screws. Most preferably, the screws go through holes in the retainer and handle and into internal threads in the block.

The punch may carry a letter or numeral for transfer to the product to be marked. Alternatively, the punch may carry a blade which cuts leather.

In another aspect, the invention provides:

The punch accessory described above wherein the block has a pair of punch holders to take punches of two different sizes.

The size of the first punch holder may be for example 5mm by 5mm and the size of the second punch holder may be for example 3mm by 3mm. The sizes of the corresponding punches may suit these punch holders, such that the punch accessory may be used with two punches of different sizes.

In another aspect, the invention provides:

The punch accessory described above wherein the retainer is a resilient member which is activated by loading the punch into the punch holder.

The retainer may be activated through the action or force of loading the punch into the punch holder. Preferably, a vertical force; pushing the punch up into the punch holder results in a horizontal force pushing the punch against the internal walls of the punch holder in contact with the punch.

In another aspect, the invention provides:

The punch accessory described above wherein the handle is held or sandwiched between the block and the punch retainer for at least one portion of the handle.

The devices which may be used to hold the handle, block and punch retainer together are described above.

Preferably, the handle is held or sandwiched for one portion of the handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of preferred embodiments, in which:

Fig 1 is a side section view of a punch accessory; in the configuration to suit a larger punch loaded into the block.

Fig 2 is a plan view of Fig 1.

Fig 3 is an isometric view of a guide used in the operation of the punch accessory.

Fig 4 is a side section view of the punch accessory; in the configuration to suit a smaller punch loaded into the block.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention, except as may be recited in the claims accompanying this specification. A punch accessory including a handle 18, a block 2 and a receiving device or resilient plastic blade 20 all held together with two screws 16. The block 2 with features including a larger punch holder 4, a smaller punch holder 6 and three threaded screw holes 14.

Referring now to Figs 1 and 2, the block 2 is a 3D printed body of acetal resin (105 1 x 35 w x 16 h mm) with a punch holder 4 and 6 at each end. The punch holders are square in section but with convex sides 8 in order to contact the side faces 10 of punch 12 but not the corners of the top or bottom face. This allows the punch 12 to be inserted by hand and reduces damage to the corners of the bottom face; which is used to create the indentation. Punch holder 4 suits one size of punch 12 while punch holder 6 suits a smaller sized punch 13.

Between the punch holders is a trio of threaded bores 14. Fastening screws 16 screw into two of the three threaded bores 14 which clamp one end of the resilient plastic blade 20 and handle 18 to the block 2. The 2mm blade 20 is pushed upwards by insertion of the punch 12 into the punch holder 4 because the blade 20 partially obstructs the upward travel of the punch as shown in Fig 2. Friction suffices to arrest the punch 12 once inserted. The handle is 200mm long and accordingly removes the risk of hand injury when the punch is hammered.

Finger pressure on the blade 20 suffices to release the punch 12. The blade 20 is 2mm thick and gives the user a clear view at all times of the punch head.

The orientation of the handle 18 and blade 20 shown in Fig 1 can be changed to use the smaller punch holder 6. The handle 18 shown to be facing upwards in Fig 1 may be rotated so that it is facing downwards by positioning the fastening screws 16 in different threaded bores 14. Fig 4 shows the orientation of the handle 18 and the blade 20 for use of the smaller punch holder 6. With the handle 18 facing downwards and the blade 20 in position to hold a smaller punch 13 in the smaller punch holder 6, the smaller punch holder 6 may be used.

Referring now to Fig 3, an L-section steel bar 30 has a series of cut outs 32 in one edge 34. The spacing of the cut outs 32 determines the spacing of the punch indentations. The punch exactly fits into each of the cut outs in order to create orderly letter/number spacing. Remaining edge 36 has a like series with alternative spacing. The bar is clamped to the component and re-clamped when necessary, as the indentation data line progresses.

Throughout the specification and claims the word “comprise” and its derivatives are intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise. That is, the word “comprise” and its derivatives will be taken to indicate the inclusion of not only the listed components, steps or features that it directly references, but also other components, steps or features not specifically listed, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

In the present specification, terms such as “apparatus”, “means”, “device” and “member” may refer to singular or plural items and are terms intended to refer to a set of properties, functions or characteristics performed by one or more items or components having one or more parts. It is envisaged that where an “apparatus”, “means”, “device” or “member” or similar term is described as being a unitary object, then a functionally equivalent object having multiple components is considered to fall within the scope of the term, and similarly, where an “apparatus”, “assembly”, “means”, “device” or “member” is described as having multiple components, a functionally equivalent but unitary object is also considered to fall within the scope of the term, unless the contrary is expressly stated or the context requires otherwise.

Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or instrument will usually be considered in a particular orientation, which will usually be apparent from the context.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

The Claims defining the Innovation are as follows: 1 A punch accessory comprising a block, a handle extending from the block and a punch retainer for contacting the punch and retaining it in the holder while the punch is struck.
2 A punch accessory according to Claim 1, wherein the block has a pair of punch holders to take punches of two different sizes.
3 A punch accessory according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the retainer is a resilient member which is activated by loading the punch into the punch holder.
4 A punch accessory according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the handle is held or sandwiched between the block and the punch retainer for at least one portion of the handle.