Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
  • B25C—HAND-HELD NAILING OR STAPLING TOOLS; MANUALLY OPERATED PORTABLE STAPLING TOOLS
  • B25C5/00—Manually operated portable stapling tools; Hand-held power-operated stapling tools; Staple feeding devices therefor
  • B25C5/02—Manually operated portable stapling tools; Hand-held power-operated stapling tools; Staple feeding devices therefor with provision for bending the ends of the staples on to the work
  • B25C5/0221—Stapling tools of the table model type, i.e. tools supported by a table or the work during operation
  • B25C5/0235—Stapling tools of the table model type, i.e. tools supported by a table or the work during operation manually operated having a plunger cooperating with an anvil
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
  • B25C—HAND-HELD NAILING OR STAPLING TOOLS; MANUALLY OPERATED PORTABLE STAPLING TOOLS
  • B25C5/00—Manually operated portable stapling tools; Hand-held power-operated stapling tools; Staple feeding devices therefor
  • B25C5/02—Manually operated portable stapling tools; Hand-held power-operated stapling tools; Staple feeding devices therefor with provision for bending the ends of the staples on to the work

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to staplers for attaching a plurality of sheets of paper, or the like, to each other or to a surface, and particularly to a hand-operated stapler having a detached base.
• staplers are typical of those well known in the art in that they have an anvil-supporting base and a staple-driving stapling assembly mechanically coupled to the base by a fixed hinge.
• the stapling assembly is typical of those well known in the art in that they include a magazine pivotally mounted to the base for holding a bar of U-shaped staples interconnected in a readily separable manner, and an upper body including a staple ejector for driving successive staples out of the magazine, through sheets of paper, etc. and against the anvil on the base to crimp the legs of the staple and fasten the sheets.
• the present invention provides a stapler having a staple-driving stapling assembly and a detached anvil-supporting base that are magnetically couplable.
• the magnetic coupling feature eliminates throat depth limitations caused by the fixed hinge of mechanically coupled staplers of the prior art, and allows for staple placement at any desired location on any size of sheet. Additionally, the stapling assembly may be used apart from the anvil-supporting base to drive staples into a bulletin board, etc. when crimping of the staples is not required.
• a stapler with a detached base includes a base supporting an anvil and a first magnetic element, and a stapling assembly for ejecting staples from a magazine port.
• the stapling assembly supports a second magnetic element positioned for magnetic coupling to the base to align the anvil with the magazine port.
• the base and/or the stapling assembly includes an alignment guide visually indicating an approximate location where a staple will be placed if driven by the stapling assembly.
• the base and the stapling assembly are provided with friction pads positioned to cooperatively limit movement of any sheets therebetween while driving a staple from the stapling assembly and against the anvil of the base.
• the base is provided with an annular magnet, the anvil being positioned interior to the annular magnet, and the anvil defining a plurality of radially extending crimping surfaces such that the base and stapling assembly may be magnetically coupled and operated to clinch staples in various relative rotational positions.
• Figure 1 is a side view of a stapler in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing the stapling assembly magnetically coupled to the base;
• Figure 2 is a bottom view of the stapler of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 is sectional view of the stapler of Figure 1 , taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a sectional view of the stapler of Figure 1 , taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3;
• Figure 5 is a plan view of the stapling assembly of Figure 1 , showing the stapling assembly in an open position;
• Figure 6 is a bottom view of the stapling assembly of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 7 is a top view of the base of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary base in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 9 is a perspective view of an exemplary base in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention;
• Figure 10 is a perspective view of an exemplary base in accordance with yet another
• FIGS 1-7 show a stapler with detached base in accordance with the present invention.
• the stapler 10 includes a base 12 and a stapling assembly 50.
• the base 12 supports an anvil 14 defining crimping surfaces 14a, 14b for crimping staples driven by the stapling assembly 50, as is well known in the art.
• the base 12 also supports a first magnetic element.
• the term "magnetic element” includes a member capable of attracting another body by magnetism, as well as a member capable of being attracted to another body by magnetism.
• a magnetic element may include a natural lodestone or a mass of iron, steel, or alloy that has been artificially magnetized, such as a neodymium magnet.
• a magnetic element may include a mass of iron that is attractable by magnetism.
• the first magnetic element 16 includes first and second permanent magnets 16a, 16b, such as neodymium magnets, supported on the base 12 in a spaced relationship, as best shown in Figures 4 and 7.
• the use of multiple discrete magnets spaced from one another assists in ensuring proper alignment with the stapling assembly, as discussed in greater detail below.
• the magnets 16a, 16b are positioned on the base 12 along a line extending transversely to a longitudinal axis of a magazine 52 of the stapling assembly 50 when the stapling assembly 50 is coupled to the base 12, as will be discussed further below.
• the magnets 16a, 16b are positioned on the base along a line extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the magazine.
• the magnets 16a, 16 are positioned so that each exposes an opposite magnetic pole for coupling to the stapling assembly.
• magnet 16a is positioned on the base to expose its north pole while magnet 16b is positioned on the base 12 to expose its south pole.
• the stapling assembly 50 is configured for ejecting staples from a magazine port, as is well known in the art.
• the stapling assembly 50 may be of a type generally known in the art.
• the stapling assembly 50 includes a magazine 52 for receiving a bar of staples 54 interconnected in a readily separable manner, and a selectively actuatable ejector 56 for driving successive staples out of the magazine 52 through a magazine port 58.
• the stapling assembly 50 may include a handle 60 pivotally mounted to the magazine 52 by pins 62, such that pivotal motion of the handle 60 relative to the magazine 52 actuates the ejector 56 to eject a staple, at which point the handle, magazine and ejector are spring biased to return to their original position.
• the handle 60 may include a lower handle body 60a supporting the magazine 52 and an upper handle body 60b pivotally connected to the lower handle body 60a.
• the upper handle body 60b supports the ejector 56.
• the stapling assembly 50 of the present invention functions to receive, store and drive staples like a conventional stapling assembly.
• the stapling assembly 50 includes a magnetic element magnetically couplable with the magnetic element 16 on the base 12, as best shown in Figures 4 and 6.
• the magnetic element 64 on the stapling assembly 50 may comprise a magnet, or a member capable of being attracted to a magnet by magnetism.
• each magnet on the stapling assembly 50 is arranged to expose an opposite pole of a corresponding magnet on the base 12.
• the magnetic element 64 of the stapling assembly 50 includes third and fourth permanent magnets
• 64a, 64b such as neodymium magnets, supported on the stapling assembly 50 in a spaced relationship corresponding to the spaced relationship of the first and second magnets 16a, 16b on the base 12.
• the magnets 16a, 16b and 64a, 64b are positioned along a line extending transversely to a longitudinal axis of the magazine
• the base 12 further includes spring members 22a, 22b biasing the first magnets 16a, 16b, respectively, from a first position in which a contact surface 18 of the first magnets 16a, 16b is substantially aligned with a plane 20 of the anvil 14 (not shown), to a second position in which the contact surface 18 is spaced from the plane, as shown in Figure 4.
• the spring members 22a, 22b comprise, for example, a pair a coil springs as shown. However, it is understood that any biasing means that will urge the magnets 16a, 16b upward, e.g. a "living spring,” leaf spring, resilient material, etc. may be used as spring members 22a, 22b.
• the magnets 16a, 16b are resiliently displaceable from the plane 20 of the anvil 14, to provide clearance for a crimped staple ejected from the stapling assembly 50, as discussed in detail below.
• the base 12 includes a first friction pad 28 and the stapling assembly 50 includes a second friction pad 66.
• the pads are constructed of a material having a relatively high coefficient of friction, such as rubber or Krayton.
• the first and second friction pads 28, 66 are positioned to cooperatively hold sheets positioned therebetween to limit movement of the sheets relative to the base 12 and/or stapling assembly 50 while driving a staple from the stapling assembly 50 and against the anvil 14 of the base 12.
• Each friction pad may include one or more discrete pads.
• the base may have various alternative configurations, as discussed below with reference to
• Figures 8-11 In the alternative embodiments shown in Figures 8 and 9, the base 12 is configured with a cantilevered beam for supporting the magnetic element in a similar resiliently displaceable manner. This eliminates the need for spring members 22a, 22b of Figures 1-7.
• Figure 8 shows cantilevered beam(s) 24a, 24b, each of which is integrally formed with the base 12, e.g. by an injection molding or machining process, for supporting magnets 16a, 16b.
• the cantilevered beams 24a, 24b are separated from a portion of the base 12 by slits 25 to allow the cantilevered beams 24a, 24b to flex relative to the base 12.
• the contact surface 18 of the magnets 16a, 16b are resiliently displaceable to a position in which the magnets' contact surface 18 is substantially aligned with the plane 20 of the anvil 14, similarly to the embodiment discussed above with reference to Figures 1-7.
• This is particularly advantageous when the magnetic element is positioned relatively close to the anvil, as shown in Figures 1 and 8. Accordingly, positive abutting contact between the magnetic elements on the base and the stapling assembly can be maintained throughout the stapling process, while the cantilevered beam resiliently deflects in a pivoting motion.
• the cantilevered beam 24 is provided in the form of a mesa 26 separated from a portion of the base 12 by slits 25.
• the mesa 26 supports the contact surface 18 of the magnets 16a, 16b in a position spaced above the plane 20 of the anvil 14.
• a cantilevered beam 24 is particularly advantageous when the magnetic element is positioned relatively far from the anvil, as shown in Figure 9. Accordingly, positive abutting contact between the magnetic elements on the base and the stapling assembly can be maintained throughout the stapling process, while the cantilevered beam 24, which is integral with the base, resiliently deflects in a pivoting motion to allow the stapling assembly's magazine 52 to move toward the anvil 14.
• the base 12 defines a fixed mesa 26.
• the mesa 26 supports the contact surface 18 of the magnets 16a, 16b in a position spaced above the plane 20 of the anvil 14. There is no cantilevered beam supporting the magnets 16a, 16b on the base 12.
• the anvil 14 is configured to define a plurality of radially extending crimping surfaces 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, etc.
• the base 12 and stapling assembly 50 may be magnetically coupled at various relative rotational positions and yet a staple driven from the stapling assembly 50 can be crimped by corresponding crimping surfaces of the anvil 14.
• the stapler includes an alignment guide visually indicating a location where a staple will be placed if driven by the stapling assembly 50.
• the alignment guide may have any suitable form. Longitudinal and lateral alignment guides may be provided.
• a stripe 30 may be painted on or molded into the base 12 or stapling assembly 50, as shown in Figures 8 and 10.
• the stripe may be aligned with the crimping surfaces 14a, 14b of the anvil 14.
• the alignment guide may include ears, tabs, etc. 32, as shown in Figure 9.
• at least a portion of the base and/or stapling assembly is constructed of a transparent material to see the anvil, magazine, or alignment guides (not shown).
• the alignment guide is plainly visible when looking downward on the top of the stapling assembly 50.
• a stapler 10 according to the present invention may be prepared for use by positioning sheets to be stapled, of any size, over the base 12.
• the stapling assembly 50 having a bar of staples loaded in its magazine, may then be positioned over the sheets in the approximate location of the base.
• the magnetic elements of the base 12 and stapling assembly 50 will then cause the base and stapling assembly to magnetically couple with the anvil 14 of the base 12 in alignment with the magazine port 58 of the stapling assembly 50.
• the stapler 10 may be repositioned relative to the sheets by sliding the stapling assembly relative to the sheets.
• the base 12 moves correspondingly to preserve the proper alignment due to the magnetic coupling of the base and stapling assembly.
• the ejector 56 of the stapling assembly 50 is actuated, e.g.
• the friction pads if any, are urged toward the sheets and toward one another to grip and hold the sheets during the stapling process.
• the magnetic elements on the base and/or stapling assembly if applicable, are resiliently deflected.
• the cantilevered beams, and/or spring elements return to their rest positions, causing the sheets to at least partially disengage from the friction pads and to separate the base and anvil and the stapling assembly to provide clearance for the crimped staple fastening the sheets and facilitate movement or removal of the stapler 10 relative to the sheets without tearing the sheets.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Portable Nailing Machines And Staplers (AREA)

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• 2003
  • 2003-09-22 AU AU2003275032A patent/AU2003275032A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-09-22 EP EP03759301A patent/EP1663583A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-09-22 MX MXPA06003138A patent/MXPA06003138A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2003-09-22 JP JP2005509641A patent/JP2007521142A/ja active Pending
  • 2003-09-22 WO PCT/US2003/029466 patent/WO2005037492A1/en not_active Ceased

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