The present invention relates to a cassette to be used in a cassette type stapler and to a holder structure to be used in said cassette.
As the cassette for the cassette type stapler of the prior art, there are a cassette disclosed in JP-A-62-218080 and a cassette disclosed in JP-A-6347076. A cassette 80 (
The cassette, as manufactured under the trade name of “CSV” by e-TOP Co., Ltd., for the cassette type stapler of the prior art is commercially available (
In this invention, the mechanism to function as the outer case and the mechanism for guiding the staples are integrated.
In the invention, moreover, even at the mechanism to function as the outer box, the back wall or the bottom wall is not a separate member but is made integral. In other words, the two members essential for the cassette disclosed in IP-A-62-218080, that is, the holder 81 and the rod structure 87 are made of one member. In the invention, moreover, as the mechanism for guiding the staples, there is adopted not the mechanism, in which the spring is fitted on the rod-shaped member, but the structure, in which the spring engages directly at its one end with the holder body and at its other end with the feeder and in which the staples are guided to a predetermined position as they are driven. These structures need the member for bringing the spring into engagement with the holder body and the staple guide member. These members are also integrated with the holder.
In the invention, moreover, all of the mechanism to function as the outer case and the mechanism for guiding the staples are integrally molded by using one set of molds, while eliminating any of glue, weld and screws.
There is provided a holder structure to be used as a cassette of a cassette type stapler, comprising: a holder member including a top side portion, a bottom side portion, a right side portion, a left side portion, a front side portion and a back side portion; and a staple guide member extending in the inside of said holder member in the axial direction of said holder member, wherein, in case the sections of X-Y directions of a portion forming said top side portion, a portion forming said bottom side portion, a portion forming said right side portion, a portion forming said left side portion, a portion forming said front side portion, a portion forming said back side portion and a portion forming said staple guide member are projected in one virtual plane in the X-Y directions, the section of one portion in the X-Y directions and the section of another portion in the X-Y directions are absent over each other in a Z-direction.
The cassette according to the invention is one to be used in the cassette type stapler. This cassette type stapler is used by mounting the cassette precharged with the staples in the stapler body.
The holder structure according to the invention has a holder member. This holder member is formed into a hexahedron composed of a top side portion, a bottom side portion, a right side portion, a left side portion, a front side portion and a back side portion. In connection with these top, bottom, right, left, front and back side portions, the prior art structure does not need any hole for driving the staples on principle, excepting the hole for the blade and the staple to pass through. For the structure to be integrally molded, however, the invention is provided with a number of holes in the top side portion and the bottom side portion. The locations of the holes have an important meaning in the invention, as will be described hereinafter.
The holder member functions as the outer box for housing the staples or the like.
The holder structure according to the invention has the staple guide member. This staple guide member extends in the holder member in the axial direction of the holder member. The staples engage with the staple guide in the holder. The staples move forward, when driven, and hence the staple guide extends in the axial direction of the holder member.
The mode of the staple guide is sufficient if it can engage with the staples and can guide their axial movements. The staple guide may be located either at a position for supporting the top backs of the staples or at a position for supporting the leading ends of the legs of the staples.
Herein: the X-direction means the longitudinal axis of the cassette; the Y-direction means the transverse axis of the cassette; and the Z-direction means the vertical axis of the cassette. The X-Y directions means the directions parallel to the X-Y plate (i.e., the plane defined by the X-axis and the Y-axis. The section in the X-Y directions means the section, which is cut in a plane parallel to the X-Y plate (i.e., the plane defined by the X-axis and the Y-axis).
In the holder structure according to the invention, in case the sections of X-Y directions of the portion forming the top side portion, the portion forming the bottom side portion, the portion forming the right side portion, the portion forming the left side portion, the portion forming the front side portion, the portion forming the back side portion and the portion forming the staple guide member are projected in one virtual plane in the X-Y directions, the section of one portion in the X-Y directions and the section of another portion in the X-Y directions are absent over each other in the Z-direction. As a result, it is possible to mold the cassette integrally. Specifically, the holder member and the staple guide member are made by a set of molds.
The state, in which the sections in the X-Y directions are absent over each other in the plus Z-axis direction in case the sections of all portions in the X-Y directions are projected in one virtual plane in the X-Y directions, means that the structure equipped with the holder member and the staple guide member is made by one set of molds when the cassette is to be manufactured. For this structure, of the six sides composing the holder member, the top side and the bottom side are individually provided many holes. The mold parts are parted in the Z-direction. As a result, the portions of the individual components in the sections in the X-Y directions cannot overlap in the mold parting direction. In case the top side of the holder and the bottom side of the holder are projected in one virtual plane in the X-Y directions, for example, the portions of the holes of the top side form the no-hole portions of the bottom side, whereas the portions of the holes of the bottom side form the no-hole portions of the top side.
There is provided a holder structure to be used as a cassette of a cassette type stapler, comprising: a holder member including a top side portion, a bottom side portion, a right side portion, a left side portion, a front side portion and a back side portion; and a holder spring engaging member, wherein, in case the sections of X-Y directions of a portion forming said top side portion, a portion forming said bottom side portion, a portion forming said right side portion, a portion forming said left side portion, a portion forming said front side portion, a portion forming said back side portion and a portion forming holder spring engaging member are projected in one virtual plane in the X-Y directions, the section of one portion in the X-Y directions and the section of another portion in the X-Y directions are absent over each other in a Z-direction.
The holder structure according to the invention is provided with the holder spring engaging member. This holder spring engaging member functions as a member for attaching the spring to the holder. The holder spring engaging member covers all the modes capable of performing a function to bring the spring into engagement.
The positions, at which the holder spring engaging member exists, are various according to the kinds of spring (e.g., a tension spring or a push spring) or the lengths of spring.
In the holder structure according to the invention, in case the sections of X-Y directions of the portion forming the top side portion, the portion forming the bottom side portion, the portion forming the right side portion, the portion forming the left side portion, the portion forming the front side portion, the portion forming the back side portion and the portion forming the holder spring engaging member are projected in one virtual plane in the X-Y directions, the section of one portion in the X-Y directions and the section of another portion in the X-Y directions are absent over each other in a Z-direction. As a result, it is possible to mold the cassette integrally. Specifically, the holder member and the holder spring engaging member are made by one set of molds.
The state, in which the sections in the X-Y directions are absent over each other in the plus Z-axis direction in case the sections of all portions in the X-Y directions are projected in one virtual plane in the X-Y directions, means that the structure equipped with the holder member and the holder spring engaging member is made by one set of molds when the cassette is to be manufactured. For this structure, of the six sides composing the holder member, the top side and the bottom side are individually provided many holes. The mold parts are parted in the Z-direction. As a result, the portions of the individual components in the sections in the X-Y directions cannot overlap in the mold parting direction. In case the top side of the holder and the bottom side of the holder are projected in one virtual plane in the X-Y directions, for example, the portions of the holes of the top side form the no-hole portions of the bottom side, whereas the portions of the holes of the bottom side form the no-hole portions of the top side.
There is provided a holder structure to be used in a cassette for a cassette type stapler, comprising: a holder member including a top side portion, a bottom side portion, a right side portion, a left side portion, a front side portion and a back side portion; a holder spring engaging member; and a staple guide member extending in the inside of said holder member in the axial direction of said holder member, wherein all the members are made integral, and wherein, in the sections of X-Y directions of a portion forming said top side portion, a portion forming said bottom side portion, a portion forming said right side portion, a portion forming said left side portion, a portion forming said front side portion, a portion forming said back side portion, a portion forming said holder spring engaging member, and a portion forming said staple guide member, the section of one portion in the X-Y directions and the section of another portion in the X-Y directions are absent over each other in a Z-direction.
The holder structure comprises both the holder spring engaging member and the staple guide member.
Moreover, the cassette according to the invention has the holder member, the staple guide member and the spring engaging member integrated with one another. In short, all the members are jointed to one another.
Also provided a holder structure characterized by comprising a spring guide inside of said holder structure.
Thus, the spring to be used in the holder structure having the spring guide is a tension spring having a considerable length. The spring guide is usually positioned in front of said holder spring engaging member.
There is provided a cassette for a cassette type stapler, comprising: a holder structure to be used as a cassette of a cassette type stapler including: a holder member including a top side portion, a bottom side portion, a right side portion, a left side portion, a front side portion and a back side portion; a holder spring engaging member; and a staple guide member extending in the inside of said holder member in the axial direction of said holder member, wherein all the members are made integral, and wherein, in case the sections of X-Y directions of a portion forming said top side portion, a portion forming said bottom side portion, a portion forming said right side portion, a portion forming said left side portion, a portion forming said front side portion, a portion forming said back side portion, a portion forming said holder spring engaging member, and a portion forming said staple guide member is projected in one virtual plane in the X-Y directions, the section of one portion in the X-Y directions and the section of another portion in the X-Y directions are absent over each other in a Z-direction; a feeder including a feeder spring engaging member; and a spring engaging at its one end with said holder spring engaging member and at its other end with said feeder spring engaging member.
This cassette is not charged with the staples. In this state, the final consumer discards the cassette. This cassette having no staple is recovered and recharged with the staples for reuse. Thus, the resources can be effectively exploited.
There is provided a cassette for a cassette type staples, which is characterized by comprising staples pushed forward by said feeder member to slide along said staple guide.
Usually, the cassette for cassette type staples according to the invention is delivered with the staples to the final consumer.
As described hereinbefore, the position, at which the holder spring engaging member of the holder structure exists, is various according to the kinds of spring (e.g., a tension spring or a push spring) or the lengths of spring.
In case the spring is a tension spring and is attached in an I-letter shape without engaging with the spring guide, the holder spring engaging member is usually located in front of the holder structure.
In case, on the other hand, the spring is a tension spring and is attached in a U-letter shape in engagement with the spring guide, the holder spring engaging member exists at least at the back of the spring guide. In case the spring is attached in the U-shape, the spring used is longer than that attached in the I-shape. The position of the holder spring engaging member is also determined by the length of the spring. In case the longest spring is used, the holder spring engaging member exists at the rear end in the holder.
The staple guide member functions to guide the staples in a predetermined direction when the staples engage with the feeder member so that it is pushed forward by the force of the spring attached at its one end to the feeder member. The staple guide member may support either the top backs of the staples or the leading ends of the legs of the staples.
Moreover, the staple guide member may be disposed on any wall such as the wall of the bottom side or the side portion of the holder member.
There is provided a cassette for a cassette type stapler, which is characterized in that the spring is a tension spring.
In case the spring is the tension spring, the spring engages at its one end with the holder spring engaging member and at its other end with the feeder spring engaging member. In case a short spring is used, it is attached in the I-shape so that its force pulls the feeder directly.
In this case, the short spring can be used to make the cassette short. Alternatively, the cassette is not shortened but can accommodate more staples.
There is provided a cassette for cassette type a stapler, which is characterized in that said holder structure has a spring guide, and in that said spring engages with said spring guide between said one end and said other end to have a U-letter shape.
The spring in this case is the tension spring. Moreover, the spring engages with the spring guide between its one end attached to the holder spring engaging member and at its other end attached to the feeder spring engaging member, and has its tensing direction U-turned at the portion of the spring guide. The spring used in this case is relatively long. According to the length of the spring used, the position of the holder spring engaging member is adjusted.
The spring for pushing the staples is not proper if it is excessively strong or weak, because it has to push the staples with a force to feed them reliably one by one. Therefore, the mode has to match such a long spring.
There is provided a cassette for a cassette type stapler, which is characterized in that the spring is a push spring.
In case the spring is the push spring, the holder spring engaging member is usually disposed near the trailing end of the holder member.
There is provided a cassette for a cassette type stapler, which is characterized in that said staple guide member supports the top backs of the staples.
This cassette is enabled to match both the staples having longer legs and the staples having shorter legs by locating the staple guide at a position for supporting the top backs of the staples and by making the height of the staple guide engageable with the staples having the long legs. By the staple guide, the staples are precisely guided forward so that the foremost one of the series staples precisely reaches a predetermined position for the staple driving action.
It is sufficient that the staple guide in this case may function to support the top backs of the staples. These top backs may be borne either by the top ends of the two sides parallel to the side of the holder member or by the top side of a smaller box-shaped member than the inner periphery of the staples. Moreover, the staple guide member may be disposed on the bottom side of the holder member or on the side of the holder member. In case the staple guide member is disposed on the bottom side, the aforementioned two parallel sides and the box-shaped member rise from the bottom side of the holder member.
There is provided a cassette for a cassette type stapler, which is characterized in that said staple guide member supports the leading ends of the legs of the staples.
The legs of the staples are located near the side wall of the holder member. In case, therefore, the staple guide member is used to support the leading ends of the legs of the staples, the staple guide member can be disposed on the side wall of the holder member. In this invention, all the members can be integral so that they can be manufactured by the paired molds. Therefore, it is highly effective that the wall of the bottom side of the holder member can be minimized. When the construction is made to have no overlap in the Z-direction, the absence of the wall of the bottom side makes it possible to realize a simpler and free structure.
In the absence of the bottom wall, moreover, the works from the bottom side are facilitated to mount the members such as the feeder, the spring or the staples to the holder structure.
There is provided a mold to be used for manufacturing a holder structure to be used in a cassette for a cassette type stapler, the holder structure comprising: a holder member including a top side portion, a bottom side portion, a right side portion, a left side portion, a front side portion and a back side portion; a holder spring engaging member; and a staple guide member extending in the inside of said holder member in the axial direction of said holder member, wherein all the members are made integral, and wherein, in the sections of X-Y directions of a portion forming said top side portion, a portion forming said bottom side portion, a portion forming said right side portion, a portion forming said left side portion, a portion forming said front side portion, a portion forming said back side portion, a portion forming said holder spring engaging member, and a portion forming said staple guide member, the section of one portion in the X-Y directions and the section of another portion in the X-Y directions are absent over each other in a Z-direction.
The mold of this case is sufficiently exemplified by a set of molds to be parted in the Z-direction.
The I-shaped spring simplifies the structure of a cassette. Moreover, the spring used is relative short so that its most compressed length can be reduced to shorten the feeder. As a result, more staples can be packed at once. In other words, the holder structure can be made shorter.
As shown in
As shown in
The holder structure thus made can be integrally molded by a pair of molds to be vertically parted.
Inside of the holder structure 1, as shown in
The holder structure shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The cassette is completed by assembling the four components of the holder structure, the staples, the feeder and the spring 4, as shown in
When the cassette is to be mounted in the stapler body, a cassette engaging projection 14 (
The state, in which the staples are used up, is shown in
Embodiment 2 is shown in
A spring 32 is mounted in a U-letter shape among a spring engaging member 29, the spring guide 27 and a feeder projection 31 of a feeder device 30, which is made separate from the holder structure. The spring 32 is a tension spring longer than that of Embodiment 1. In Embodiment 2, moreover, the staple guide for supporting the staples from the inner face rises from the bottom wall as in Embodiment 1.
The spring is so relatively long that it does not push the staples excessively thereby to ensure precise staple feed.
In Embodiment 2, as shown in
Embodiment 3 is shown in
In Embodiment 3, moreover, the staple guide for supporting the staples from the back of the top rises from the bottom wall as in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2. The holder structure is made integral and can be integrally molded as in Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2.
Embodiment 4 is shown in
In Embodiment 4, the leg lengths of the staples to match are determined by the positions of the side wall staple guides so that the structure can accept only one kind of staples.
In Embodiment 4, as shown in
In Embodiment 4, as shown in
Embodiment 5 is shown in
In Embodiment 5, as shown in
In Embodiment 5, the holder structure is made integral and can be integrally molded as in Embodiment 1 to Embodiment 4.
Embodiment 6 is shown in
As shown in
In Embodiment 6, as shown in
Embodiment 7 presents a method for manufacturing Embodiment 1 to Embodiment 6.
A mold corresponding to the holder structure of each Embodiment is prepared as two kinds of molds to match each other vertically. The material is poured into the mold, and the top part and the bottom part are removed. By once extracting the two top and bottom parts, therefore, it is possible to manufacture the holder structure which is composed of all the members such as the spring engaging member, the staple guide and so on, excepting the feeder.
According to this invention, an integrally molded holder structure for use in the cassette of the cassette type stapler can be provided by a set of molds. The holder structure is obtained by once parting the molds so that the cost and the labors of manufacture can be remarkably lowered.
At the time of using the holder member, moreover, no trouble occurs, as might otherwise be caused due to removal of glue or screws.
The cassette according to this invention is completed by the four parts of the holder structure, the feeder, the spring and the staples so that it can be manufactured with less parts and at a remarkably low cost. Moreover, the labors are drastically reduced for the manufacture.
In case the cassette of this invention adopts the mechanism in which the staples are guided by the engagement of their top backs, the height of this staple guiding mechanism is adjusted to the largest length of the legs of the staples for ordinary use. As a result, the holder structure of one kind can be used for the cassette matching the staples of various leg lengths.
In case the cassette of this invention adopts the mechanism in which the staples are guided by the engagement with the trailing ends of the legs of the staples, the wall of the bottom of the holder structure can be minimized. As a result, it is possible to facilitate the works for attaching the feeder, the staples and the spring.
In case the cassette of this invention uses a long spring between the holder structure and the feeder, the staples can be pushed with a relatively weak force. In case a short spring is used, the cassette can be reduced in size or otherwise can be provided with more staples.
1 - - - Holder Structure, 2 - - - Holder Front Side, 3 - - - Holder Right Side, 4 - - - Holder Top Side, 5 - - - Holder Left Side, 6 - - - Holder Bottom Side, 7 - - - Holder Back Side, 8 - - - Staple Guide, 9 - - - Spring Engaging Member, 10 - - - Engaging Projection, 11 - - - Feeder Hole, 12 - - - Recess, 13 - - - Recess, 14 - - - Stapler Engaging Projection, 15 - - - Staple, 16 - - - Beam, 17 - - - Recess, 20 - - - Feeder, 21 - - - Feeder Projection, 22 - - - Spring, 25 - - - Staple, 26 - - - Beam, 27 - - - Spring Guide, 28 - - - Staple Guide, 29 - - - Spring Engaging Member, 30 - - - Feeder, 31 - - - Feeder Projection, 32 - - - Spring, 34 - - - Spring Guide, 35 - - - Staple Guide, 36 - - - Spring Engaging Member, 40 - - - Staple, 41 - - - Beam, 42 - - - Side Wall Staple Guide, 43 - - - Spring Engaging Member, 44 - - - Feeder, 45 - - - Feeder Projection, 46 - - - Spring, 50 - - - Staple, 51 - - - Spring Guide, 52 - - - Side Wall Staple Guide, 53 - - - Spring Engaging Member, 54 - - - Small Projection, 55 - - - Feeder, 56 - - - Feeder Projection, 57 - - - Spring, 60 - - - Staple, 62 - - - Side Wall Staple Guide, 63 - - - Spring Engaging Member, 65 - - - Feeder, 66 - - - Feeder Spring Engaging Portion, 80 - - - Cassette, 81 - - - Holder Member, 83 - - - Feeder Device, 84 - - - Staple, 85 - - - Spring, 86 - - - Rod Structure, 87 - - - Cap, 88 - - - Rod, 89 - - - Engaging Projection, 90 - - - Hole, 91 - - - Holder Member Body, 92 - - - Holder Member Bottom Wall, 93 - - - Rod Structure, 94 - - - Rod, 95 - - - Feeder, 96 - - - Spring, and 97 - - - Staple.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
376144/2002 | Dec 2002 | JP | national |
The present application is a continuation of, and claims priority of, U.S. Ser. No. 10/540,738, presently pending, which was the US national phase of PCT/JP03/17039, filed 26 Dec. 2003.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10540738 | Jun 2005 | US |
Child | 12198293 | US |