GB2445017A

GB2445017A - Hand-held stapler

Info

Publication number: GB2445017A
Application number: GB0625337A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Elsa Lenoria Conreaux
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-12-20
Filing date: 2006-12-20
Publication date: 2008-06-25
Also published as: GB0625337D0

Abstract

A hand-held stapler comprises an elongate handle 11, a first passageway 12 extending longitudinally inside the handle for storing a supply of staples 18, a nose 13 projecting radially outwardly from one end of the elongate handle in a forward direction, and a second passageway 14 extending longitudinally inside the nose from the first passageway to a dispensing outlet 15 at the forward end of the nose. An actuator 16 is slidably mounted to the handle for pushing a staple forwardly from the first passageway and along the second passageway to the dispensing outlet. Preferably, the actuator is arranged to slide along the nose portion, and extends through a side wall of the stapler into the second passage, to engage a trailing edge of a staple being dispensed. The stapler is suitable for use in applications such as floristry where fragile or delicate objects need to be secured together.

Description

Hand Held Stapler This invention relates to a hand-held stapler.

Staples are widely used for fastening two or more objects together. In use, the staples are thspensed from a staple dispenser or so-called stapler, which may be of the office type comprising a pair of jaws which dispense and fold the staple when brought together Another well known type of stapler comprises a hand-held gun comprising a striker which fires a staple out of the gun into the objects to be fastened.

A disadvantage of the above-mentioned type of staplers IS that they are unable to dispense staples in a gentle and controlled manner, and as such are unsuitable for use in applications such as floristry where fragile or delicate objects need to be secured together.

I have now devised a hand-held stapler which alleviates the above-mentioned problems.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a hand-held stapler comprising an elongate handle portion, a first passageway extending longitudinally inside the handle portion for storing a supply of staples, a nose portion projecting radially outwardly from one end of the elongate handle portion in a forward direction, a second passageway extending longitudinally inside the nose portion from the first passageway to a dispensing outlet at the forward end of the nose portion, and an actuator slidably mounted to said end of the handle for pushing a staple forwardly from said first passage and along the second passage to said dispensing outlet.

The stapler is thus of a simple and compact construction allowing staples to be dispensed in a gentle and controlled manner by sliding the actuator.

Preferably the actuator comprises a portion which extends into said second passage and which contacts the trailing edge of the staple being dispensed until said staple is at a position where it is substantially free of said dispensing outlet Preferably the actuator is arranged to slide along the nose portion, said portion of the actuator extending through a side wall of the body portion to engage the trailing edge of the staple being dispensed.

Preferably the handle extends rearwardly from the proximal end of the projecting nose portion, in order to position the users hand as far away as possible from the dispensing outlet Preferably the handle extends at an angle of between 95 and 1300 to the nose portion, and most preferably at an angle of 110 Preferably the first passage contains a plurality of planar u-shaped staples which are frangibly interconnected side-by-side in an elongate strip, wherein the longitudinal axis of the strip extends at an oblique angle to the plane of each staple, said angle preferably being between 950 and 1300 and most preferably 1100 An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of an example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view through an embodiment of hand-held stapler in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 s a perspective view of the stapler of figure 1, when in use Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a hand-held stapler comprising a one-piece body 10 of moulded plastics material The body 10 comprises an elongate handle portion 11 having an external surface which is shaped to provide a grip enabling the handle 11 to be comfortably grasped in a user's hand. The handle 11 is hollow and comprises an internal longitudinally-extending first passage 12 extending from a lower end thereof.

An elongate nose portion 13 of the body extends radially forwardly from the upper end of the handle portion 11. The longitudinal axis of the nose portion 13 extends at an angle A of approximately 1100 to the longitudinal axis of the handle 11. A second passage 14 extends longitudinally of the nose portion 13 from the first passage 12 to a dispensing outlet 15 at the forward end of the nose portion 13.

The upper end wall of the body portion 10 is flat and an actuator 16 is slidably mounted thereto for movement longitudinally of the nose portion 13 A barbed ug 17 depends from the actuator 16 into the second passage 14, through a sbt 20 formed in the upper wall of the body portion 10 An elongate strip 18 of frangibly-interconnected planar u-shaped staples 18 is slidabty received in the first passage 12 The stnp 18 is loaded into the passage 12 by removing a closure 19 fitted to the lower end of the handle 11. A spring mechanism (not shown) biases the strip 18 upwardly so that the uppermost staple lies in the second passage 14, The longitudinal axis of the strip 18 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first passage 12, and at 110 to the plane of the staples and the longitudinal axis of the second passage 14.

Referring also to Figure 2 of the drawings, in use, the actuator 16 can be pushed forwardly by the user's thumb in the direction of the arrow, so that the barbed lug 17 thereon engages behind the uppermost staple of the strip 18 and detaches it from the strip Continued movement of the actuator 16 pushes the free staple along the second passage 14 and fully out of the dispensing outlet 15.

It will be appreciated that the forward end of the nose portion 13 of the stapler is unobstructed and can be pressed against the objects to be stapled, such that the free staple is gently pushed into the objects as forward pressure is applied to the actuator 16.

The actuator 16 can then be pulled back to cause the barbed lug 17 to ride over the next staple in the strip, which is pushed upwardly under the applied spring bias.

A stapler in accordance with the present invention is simple and inexpensive in construction yet enables staples to be dispensed in a gentle and controlled manner.

Claims

1. A hand-held stapler comprising an elongate handle portion, a first passageway extending longitudinally inside the handle portion for storing a supply of staples, a nose portion projecting radially outwardly from one end of the elongate handle portion in a forward direction, a second passageway extending longitudinally inside the nose portion from the first passageway to a dispensing outlet at the forward end of the nose portf on, and an actuator slidably mounted to said end of the handle for pushing a staple forwardly from said first passage and along the second passage to said dispensing outlet.

2 A hand-held stapler as claimed in claim 1, in which the actuator comprises a portion which extends into said second passage and which contacts the trailing edge of the staple being dispensed until said staple is at a position where it is substantially free of said dispensing outlet.

3. A hand-held stapler as claimed in claim 2, in which the actuator is arranged to slide along the nose portion, said portion of the actuator extending through a side wall of the body portion to engage the trailing edge of the staple being dispensed.

4. A hand-held stapler as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the handle extends rearwardly from the proximal end of the projecting nose portion.

5. A hand-held stapler as claimed in claim 4, in which the handle extends at an angle of between 95 and 130 to the nose portion.

6. A hand-held stapler as claimed in claim 5, in which the handle extends at an angle of 1100 to the nose portion.

7. A hand-held stapler as claimed in claim 4, in which the first passage contains a plurality of planar u-shaped staples which are frangibly interconnected side-by-side in an elongate strip, wherein the longitudinal axis of the strip extends at an oblique angle to the plane of each staple. , said angle being between 95 and 130 and most preferably 110 .

8. A hand-held stapler as claimed in claim 5, in which the first passage contains a plurality of planar u-shaped staples which are frangibly interconnected side-by-side in an elongate strip, wherein the longitudinal axis of the strip extends at an oblique angle of between 95 and 1300 to the plane of each staple.

9 A hand-held stapler as claimed in claim 6, in which the first passage contains a plurality of planar u-shaped staples which are frangibly interconnected side-by-side in an elongate strip, wherein the longitudinal axis of the strip extends at an oblique angle of 1100 to the plane of each staple, said angle being.

10. A hand-held stapler substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.