GB2208492A - Ink pad assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

An ink pad assembly comprises a lid (1), a base (2) and an ink pad cassette (A). The lid is mounted on the base (2) so that the lid can be pivotably opened or closed relative to the base during normal use; when a fresh ink pad is required, the end cap (4) is pivotably opened to allow cassette (A) containing pad (7) to be withdrawn and to allow the fresh cassette to be slidably inserted. <IMAGE>

Description

INK PAD ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to an ink pad assembly.

In conventional ink pad assemblies or stamp devices as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication Nos.

37-636, 49-34977 and 49-34975, an ink pad is permanently mounted in a casing. If the ink contained in the ink pad is consumed in such a construction, a new body of ink must be resupplied to the ink pad. Moreover, if the ink pad is damaged, the overall stamp device would be discarded.

If ink is to be resupplied to the ink pad, that purpose cannot be attained only by applying the ink to the surface of the ink pad since the ink is not uniformly impregnated into the ink pad. In such a case, the ink will not uniformly be transferred to a printing member.

According to the present invention, an ink pad assembly comprises a lid, a base and an ink pad cassette, the lid being mounted on the base so that the lid can be opened or closed relative to the base, and a cassette cap journalled to the base for movement between a closed position in which the cassette is secured to the base and an open position in which the cassette can be removed from the base.

With this invention, if the ink in the ink pad cassette has been consumed or if the ink pad is contaminated or damaged, the ink pad cassette can be easily and simply replaced by a fresh ink pad cassette.

The ink pad cassette can be simply fixed to the base only by actuating the cassette cap.

Preferably, the assembly further comprises locking means to lock the cap in each of its open and closed positions.

Various forms of locking means could be provided, for example spring operated bolts but preferably the locking means comprise cooperating bosses and recesses.

An example of an ink pad assembly according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partly broken away, perspective view of the assembly; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly taken on the line B-B in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 2, showing the ink pad cassette partially drawn out of the base.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is shown an ink pad assembly or stamp device which comprises a lid 1 having end plates extending outwardly from the end edge of the lid 1. Each of the end plates includes a cylindrical projection 12 extending inwardly toward the inner wall of the opposite end plate.

The assembly also comprises a base 2 having similar end plates extending outwardly from the end edge of the base 2. Each of these end plates includes a central recess 11 formed therein at the outer face, each recess 11 being adapted to receive the cylindrical projection 12 in the corresponding end plate of the lid 1. The base 2 further includes a substantially T-shaped base frame 3 mounted therein. In such a manner, the lid 1 can be opened or closed relative to the base 2 in which the base frame 3 is mounted to provide access to the upper surface of an ink pad 7 for a stamp.

A cassette cap 4 is journalled between the end plates of the base 2. The cassette cap 4 is provided with a slot 15 formed on the top face thereof and protrusions 14 extending outwardly from each of its side walls. Each of the protrusions 14 is fitted into a small aperture 13 formed in the base 2 above the recess 11 of the corresponding end plate. The cassette cap 4 further includes a small protrusion 9 formed therein on each of the side walls above the corresponding protrusion 14.

The base 2 has two small recesses 10 and 10' formed therein at each of the end plates of the base. Each of the small recesses 10 and 10' is adapted to releasably receive the small protrusion 9 on the corresponding side of the cassette cap 4. In such a manner, the cassette cap 4 can be swingahly mounted on the base 2 by rotatably receiving the protrusions 14 in the small apertures 13.

When the cassette cap 4 is in its opened or closed position, the small recesses 10 or 10' are engaged by the small protrusions 9 to hold the cassette cap 4 relative to the base 2 in that opened or closed position respectively (see Figures 2 and 3). Furthermore, the cassette cap 4 has a ridge portion 17 formed therein on the inner edge.

The lid 1, base 2, base frame 3 and cassette cap 4 are moulded from any one of synthetic resin materials which are generally used in the art, such as ABS, polypropylene and the like.

An ink pad cassette A comprises a cassette body 6 having a slide portion 19 adapted to engage the base frame 3 in the base 2, a cassette 5 mounted in the cassette body 6, and an ink pad ? made of a fibrous punched member or sponge, the ink pad being fixed to the cassette body 6 by the cassette frame 5.

The cassette frame 5 is provided with a knoh 8 extending outwardly therefrom at the outer edge. The knob 8 includes a recess 16 formed thereon adjacent the top and outer edge. The recess 16 is adapted to receive the ridge portion 17 on the cassette cap 4. The knob 8 also includes an elongate ridge 18 formed therein on the top face, the elongate ridge 18 adapted to be received in the slot 15 on the cassette cap 4.

The ink pad cassette A can be replaced by a fresh ink pad cassette A in the following manner: The lid 1 is first held in its closed position. The ridge 17 on the cassette cap A is then separated from the recess 16 on the knob 8. Thus, the small protrusions 9 on the cassette cap 4 are moved from the small recesses 10 to the small recesses 10' on the base 2. Therefore, the cassette cap 4 is held in its opened condition such that the ink pad cassette A can be removed out of the base 2 (Figure 3).

After the old ink pad cassette A has been drawn out of the base 2, a fresh ink pad cassette A is then inserted into the base 2. The cassette cap 4 can be closed relative to the base 2 to fix the ink pad cassette A in the base 2.

If the cassette frame is coloured with the same colour as that of the ink in the ink pad, the colour of the ink being used can be visibly observed from the elongate ridge 18 of the knob 8 outwardly extending through the slot 15 even when the lid 1 is in its closed position relative to the base 2.

Claims (7)

1. An ink pad assembly comprising a lid, a base and an ink pad cassette, the lid being mounted on the base so that the lid can be opened or closed relative to the base, and a cassette cap journalled to the base for movement between a closed position in which the cassette is secured to the base and an open position in which the cassette can be removed from the base.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, further comprising locking means to lock the cap in each of its open and closed positions.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the locking means comprise cooperating bosses and recesses.

4. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein when the cap is in its closed position it engages part of the cassette.

5. An assembly according to claim 4, wherein the cap and cassette have an opening and a protrusion which cooperate when the cap is in its closed position.

6. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the cap can be moved to its open position when the lid is closed.

7. An ink pad assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.