This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Applications No. 2010-014860, filed Jan. 26, 2010; the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a paper binder that is able to punch holes into multiple paper sheets and bind them together. In particular, the present invention is related to technology that binds paper sheets using ligulate strips formed by punching holes into the paper sheets, without using staples (metal pins used for staplers) used in staplers, etc. or adhesive paste.
Generally, as a binding tool for binding multiple paper sheets, a stapler is used. A stapler is an instrument that is able to cause the front ends of a staple to penetrate paper sheets by pinching and pressing against the paper sheets, and then passing pins through the through-holes and fastening the paper sheets together.
Staplers have the advantage of allowing paper sheets to be bounded with a simple operation, but on the other hand, there are hazards as well as inconveniences when using a shredder. That is, with staplers, there is a risk that a staple may pierce the finger, etc. of the user. Moreover, the task of removing a staple from bound paper sheets is troublesome.
Moreover, there is a risk that the user may fail to see a staple that has been removed from paper sheets. Furthermore, the user may accidentally insert paper sheets bound with a staple into a shredder or an ADF (Auto Document Feeder) of a copying machine, etc. Such accidents may cause breakdowns of the shredder or ADF.
Staplers that use paste instead of staples have been proposed (e.g., Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-51648). However, such staplers have the problem that the refilling or replacement of paste is difficult. Moreover, it is difficult to provide a configuration by which the adhesive strength between the paper sheets bound by the paste is increased while the application of the paste can be performed smoothly.
As described above, staplers have various problems. In relation to this, paper binders that bind paper sheets without using any binding material such as a staple or paste have been proposed (e.g., Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1966-3278 and Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1981-51389). The paper-binding process of such paper binders that do not use any binding material, for example, is described below.
In this type of paper binder, first, as in a hole puncher, a punch blade is pressed against multiple paper sheets that have been layered to punch holes in these paper sheets. However, unlike with a hole puncher, in this hole-punching process, the paper binder does not completely cut away the hole-punched part from the paper sheets. Specifically, for each of the multiple paper sheets, only part of the paper sheet is cut through (refer to FIGS. 1-3 and FIGS. 6-8 of Patent Document 2). In other words, each of the paper sheets that are hole-punched by the paper binder is separated into a ligulate strip cut away from the paper sheet and the remaining base that is not cut away (the base part of the ligulate strips).
Furthermore, in this type of paper binder, before and after the hole-punching operations, incisions for receiving the ligulate strips that are cut away by the punch blade are formed (refer to FIG. 2 of Patent Document 2). These incisions are formed by a knife provided adjacent to the punch blade (refer to symbol 3 of FIG. 2). In addition, the paper binder uses a cam attached to the punch blade (refer to symbol 5 of FIG. 2) to collect the ligulate strip of each paper sheet and push them into the incisions formed by the knife.
This paper binder binds paper sheets together in the manner described above. The bound paper sheets do not involve any binding means such as a staple, and therefore, the user may put the paper sheets through a shredder as they are. Moreover, even if the user continues to use the paper binder, there is no need to refill the binding means.
In a paper binder such as that described above, paper sheets are bound using ligulate strips formed by punching holes into multiple paper sheets. That is, the binding parts of the paper sheets are punched to form ligulate strips and then folded over, and therefore, after binding, the binding parts cannot be browsed. Consequently, when binding paper, the operator of the paper binder must select a position of the paper sheets that does not include, for example, characters or other printed parts as the paper-binding part.
With regard to this point, with a conventional paper binder such as that disclosed in Patent Document 2 or Patent Document 3, it is not possible to confirm the paper-binding part during the paper-binding process. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 of Patent Document 3, the paper-binding part of paper sheets inserted into the paper binder is covered by the hole-punching member and the cover (refer to symbol 36 in the diagram), etc. of the paper binder, visual confirmation by the operator is difficult. Consequently, the operator of a conventional paper binder confirms the part where the paper-binding process is to be performed before placing the paper sheets in the hole-punching part of the paper binder, and performs the paper-binding process while guessing about the position. However, this type of operation is troublesome and difficult. Moreover, there is the risk that the paper-binding process may not be performed accurately.
Furthermore, in the paper-binding process of a conventional paper binder, there is the risk of making it difficult to browse characters, etc. shown on the paper-binding part, such as the edge part of the paper sheets. In particular, if the paper-binding process is performed on a corner part or the top or bottom edges of the paper sheets and information such as the date of printing, the number of pages, or the publisher can no longer be confirmed, this may create problems for browsing the paper sheets.
The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a paper binder that is able to bind multiple paper sheets without using any binding material such as staples, and is able to appropriately and easily perform the paper-binding process on paper sheets to be browsed.
To resolve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a paper binder configure to punch a hole in a plurality of layered paper sheets to cut off part of the paper sheets and form ligulate strips and form incisions near the strips and insert the strips into the incisions to bind the paper sheets. The paper binder comprises a base; a support base erected on the base; a handle; a pair of incising blades; a pair of projections; a mounting base; a pressing portion; a window portion; and a movement mechanism.
The handle is connected to the support base via a rotation shaft and that is rotatable about the rotation shaft; a pair of punch blades that protrude from the base toward the handle and punch holes. The pair of incising blades protrude from the base toward the handle and form the incision. The pair of projections are rotated together with the rotation of the handle and press against the formed strips to fold the strips toward the paper sheets. The mounting base is arranged between the base and the handle, provided with through-holes through which the edge parts toward the projection direction of the projections, the punch blades, and the incising blades are able to pass. The paper sheets are mounted on the mounting base. The pressing portion is arranged at a position enclosed by the handle and the mounting base and is capable of receiving each of the edge parts passing through the through-holes. The pressing portion includes reception holes in the interior in which the projections are able to rotate and is configured so that the vicinity of the through-holes of the mounting base are visible from the side of the handle through at least the reception holes and their surroundings. The pressing portion pinches the paper sheets together with the mounting base. The window portion is provided on the handle at a part including a region overlapping with at least the reception holes of the pressing portion. The movement mechanism brings closely the relative positions of the pressing portion and the mounting base depending on the handle rotates and moves the mounting base toward the base together with the pressing portion.
As a result of the pressing portion and the mounting base being brought closely by the movement mechanism, the paper sheets on the mounting base are pinched, and by moving the pressing portion and the mounting base toward the base while pinching the paper sheets, the edge parts of the punch blades and the incising blades are pressed against the paper sheets to form the strips and the incision.
To resolve the above problems, the invention according to claim 4 is a paper binder comprises: a punch blade; an incising blade; a base; a mounting base; an insertion part; a rotation mechanism; an insertion part; a pressing table; a support base; and a handle.
The punch blade forms partially connected strips by punching a hole into paper sheets. The incising blade forms incisions into which the strips can be inserted. The base supports both the punch blade and the incising blade so as to cause them to protrude upward, and also supports the punch blade in a rotatable manner. The mounting base includes: a mounting surface that is arranged above the base and is approximately perpendicular to the punch blade and the incising blade; and through-holes provided on the mounting surface through which the front ends of the punch blade and the incising blade are able to pass. The rotation mechanism is provided on the mounting surface on the side of the base, and abuts the punch blade as the mounting surface and the base of the punch blade are brought closely, and causes the punch blade to rotate. The insertion part is provided on the punch blade and presses the strips into the incisions when the punch blade rotates. The pressing table includes a pressing surface and reception holes. The pressing surface is provided above the mounting surface at a position approximately facing the mounting surface. The reception holes are provided on the pressing surface on extensions of the projection directions of the punch blade and the incising blade at positions corresponding to the through-holes, and receive the front ends of the punch blade and the incising blade that pass through the through-holes. The pressing table is formed so that paper sheets on the mounting surface are visible from above in at least one region including the reception holes, and is able to move toward the mounting surface. The support base extends from the base to a position higher than at least the mounting surface. The handle is rotatably supported by the support base, and is arranged so as to enclose the pressing table and the mounting base together with the base, and is provided with a window portion that makes at least part of the pressing table including the reception holes visible from above.
As a result of the lowering of the pressing table as the handle rotates, the pressing table and the mounting base pinch the paper sheets, and as a result of the lowering of the pressing table and the mounting base associated with additional rotation of the handle, the punch blade and the incising blade form the strips and the incisions in the pinched paper sheets.
In the paper binders according to claim 1 and claim 4 described above, the hole-punching direction and the cutting direction are toward the handle side, and they are configured so that the hole-punched parts in the paper-binding process are visible via the window portion. Consequently, it is possible to appropriately and easily perform the paper-binding process on paper sheets to be browsed. Furthermore, according to the paper binder of claim 1 and claim 4 described above, because multiple paper sheets are bound by the strips, it is possible to bind multiple paper sheets without using any binding material.
The following is a description of one example of the present embodiment, with reference to
An overview of the overall configuration of a paper binder 100 according to the present embodiment is described with reference to
An overview of the outer shape of the paper binder 100 is described. As shown in
In the following description, the direction from the posterior base 101a toward the anterior base 101c is defined as the forward direction (direction X3 in
Moreover, as shown in
Furthermore, the pressing portion 120 is provided on the mounting base 121. The pressing portion 120 is also moved upward and downward relative to the anterior base 101c by being guided by the mounting base 121. The upward and downward movement of the pressing portion 120 is performed independently of the mounting base 121 when pressing paper, and is performed together with the mounting base 121 during hole-punching.
As shown in
The following is an overview of the connections between each part. As shown in
The mounting base 121 is arranged above the base 101 and is connected to the first cylinder portion 107 of the base 101 erected upward via a first guide hole 121c. Because the first guide hole 121c is passed through the first cylinder portion 107, the upward and downward movement of the mounting base 121 relative to the anterior base 101c is guided.
The pressing portion 120 is arranged above the mounting base 121. The pressing portion 120 has a second guide brace member 120g that extends downward. The second guide brace member 120g is passed through to the interior of the first cylinder portion 107 that has been passed through the first guide hole 121c. As a result, the pressing portion 120 is connected to the mounting base 121 and the anterior base 101c. The upward and downward movement of the pressing portion 120 relative to the mounting base 121 and the anterior base 101c is guided by the second guide brace member 120g.
The handle 110 is arranged above the pressing portion 120. The handle 110 is configured with a handle frame 110e and a handle cover 110d. The handle cover 110d is a cover for the handle frame 110e. By passing the rotation shaft 111 through the handle frame 110e, the handle 110 is rotatably connected to the supporting plate 103. Furthermore, at a position between a protruding end 110a and the rotation shaft 111, a pressure shaft 112 is passed through the handle frame 110e. The pressure shaft 112 also penetrates an engaging portion 120h of the pressing portion 120. The handle 110 and the pressing portion 120 are connected by the pressure shaft 112.
Moreover, on the mounting base 121, a through-hole 121a is provided. Moreover, on the pressing portion 120, a reception hole 120a is provided. The punch blades 123c of the ligulate-strip processing portion 123 and the incising blades 124 are passed through these holes.
The supporting plate 103 is one example of the “support base” of the present invention. Moreover, an aperture portion 110c and the pressing portion 120 are one example of the “window portion” of the present invention. Moreover, the first elastic member 105 is one example of the “biasing portion” of the present invention. Moreover, the first guide hole 121c is one example of the “penetration portion” of the present invention. Moreover, the first cylinder portion 107 is one example of the “brace member” of the present invention. Moreover, a rotation shaft through-hole 110f is an example of the “axis hole” of the present invention.
Moreover, the blade parts of the front ends of the punch blades 123c and the incising blades 124 of the ligulate-strip processing portion 123 are one example of the “erect edge parts of the punch blades and the incising blades” of the present invention. Moreover, at least the first cylinder portion 107, the second guide brace member 120g, and the first guide hole 121c are one example of the “movement mechanism” of the present invention, and furthermore, for the “movement mechanism”, at least one of a second elastic member 125 and the first elastic member 105, or a combination of both, may be included. Furthermore, for the “movement mechanism”, any one of the engaging portion 120h, a pressing portion guide 120e, a second guide hole 121e, and the pressure shaft 112, or a combination thereof, may be included.
Next, an overview of operations of the paper binder 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to
As shown in
When the handle 110 starts to be rotated, the force applied to the handle 110 first acts on the pressure shaft 112 supported by the engaging portion 120h of the pressing portion 120. As a result, via the pressure shaft 112 supported by the handle 110, the pressing portion 120 descends as the handle 110 is rotated. Here, until the handle 110 is pressed down, the pressing portion 120 is biased away from the mounting base 121 (i.e., upward) (
The pressing portion 120 descends and abuts the paper sheets on the mounting base 121, and when the handle 110 is rotated further, the pressing portion 120 presses down the paper sheets and the mounting base 121. Moreover, until it is pressed down via the pressing portion 120, the mounting base 121 is also biased away from the anterior base 101c (i.e., upward) (
The ligulate-strip processing portion 123 and the incising blades 124 shown in
As shown in
Next, the configurations of each part of the paper binder 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to
(Base 101)
As described above, the configurations forming the base in the paper binder 100 are the posterior base 101a, the anterior base 101c, and the supporting plate 103. As shown in
As shown in
Moreover, as shown in
The first guide brace member 106 is arranged on the frontward (X3 direction) side of the anterior base 101c. The first guide brace member 106 is erected upward as shown in
As shown in
The first elastic member 105 is wrapped around the first cylinder portion 107 of the anterior base 101c. The first elastic member 105 has a height that reaches the lower surface of the mounting surface of the mounting base 121. The width of the first elastic member 105 is formed to be wider than the first cylinder portion 107 to enable expansion and contraction around the first cylinder portion 107. Examples of the first elastic member 105 include a coil spring or a rubber member.
(Handle 110)
As shown in
As shown in
Here, in a paper binder with a configuration in which the side plates of the handle frame enclose the supporting plate that acts as a base, when the handle is pressed down, the base-side surface (lower surface) of the handle abuts the upper edge of the supporting plate. Therefore, if the height of the supporting plate is great, the rotational range of the handle becomes limited. That is, when the handle is lowered, the lower surface of the handle abuts the upper edge of the supporting plate before nearing the base. Even if the handle is pressed down further, it is blocked by the upper edge of the supporting plate and will not go down. However, in a paper binder that forms the ligulate strips S and inserts them into the incisions C to bind paper sheets, it is necessary to not only punch holes into the paper sheets but also to insert the ligulate strips S, and therefore, the distance of the upward and downward movement of the ligulate-strip processing portion including the punch blades becomes greater compared to that of a hole puncher. In other words, it is necessary to secure the stroke of the ligulate-strip processing portion. Consequently, in this type of configuration, by making the angle between the base and the handle great, the stroke length of the ligulate-strip processing portion is secured. However, when this angle becomes great, the operability of the paper-binding process deteriorates.
Regarding this point, the paper binder 100 according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which the handle frame 110e is enclosed between the supporting plate 103. That is, when the handle frame 110e is pressed down, the situation in which the lower surface of the handle 110 abuts the upper edge of the supporting plate 103 does not occur. In other words, the rotational range of the handle is not limited by the height of the supporting plate 103. Consequently, the stroke length of the upward and downward movement of the ligulate-strip processing portion 123 is secured and the operability of the paper-binding process is also secured.
Moreover, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, the protruding end 110a of the handle 110 comes near the posterior base 101a as shown in
Furthermore, the aperture portion 110c is provided on the handle frame 110e and the handle cover 110d according to the present embodiment on the side of the rotation shaft 111. The aperture portion 110c is formed above a region including at least the reception hole 120a of the pressing portion 120 and the surrounding area of the reception hole 120a. As a result of the aperture portion 110c, the operator is able to recognize the content of the paper sheets mounted toward the base 101 from the handle 110, as well as the hole-punching position and the state of each part of the paper binder 100. In addition to this configuration, by adopting a configuration in which the pressing portion 120 is made transparent as described later, it becomes possible to visually confirm the upper surface of the paper sheets mounted on the mounting base 121. Moreover, the reason for making the position where the aperture portion 110c is formed a region including the reception hole 120a and its surroundings is that the reception hole 120a becomes the hole-punching part relative to the paper sheets, and therefore, that part becomes visible to the operator.
The aperture portion 110c shown in
(Pressing Portion 120)
The pressing portion 120 presses the paper sheets on the mounting base 121 and also presses down the mounting base 121. As shown in
As shown in
Similarly, as shown in
Moreover, as shown in
Moreover, as shown in
As shown in
As described later, after the insertion of the ligulate strips by the paper binder is complete, the ligulate strips that bind the paper sheets have a thickness corresponding to the number of sheets to be bound. The ligulate strips that have this thickness may become caught in the through-holes 121a of the mounting base 121 or the reception holes 120a of the pressing portion 120. Furthermore, the ligulate strip part may become caught in each hole and remain stuck in each hole. When such a situation occurs, the paper sheets connected to the ligulate strips also become caught and stuck between the pressing portion 120 and the mounting base 121 together with the ligulate strips. On the other hand, the handle 110 alone is biased by the second elastic member 125 and returns to its original position. However, due to the ligulate strips that are caught, the pressing portion 120 does not return to its original position. This is because the biasing force of the second elastic member 125 required for pressing the papers is not as strong as the biasing force of the first elastic member 105, and is not sufficient for resolving the catching of the pressing portion 120 in this case.
Consequently, when this type of situation occurs, it is necessary to resolve the catching of the paper sheets and return the paper binder 100 to its original state. However, this operation is not easy. For example, by forcibly pulling the caught paper sheets, it may be possible to free the paper sheets and return the pressing portion 120 to its original position, but with this method, there is a risk that the bound paper sheets may be torn. In relation to this point, in the paper binder 100 of the present embodiment, the handle 110 and the pressing portion 120 are linked via the engaging portion 120h and the pressure shaft 112. Consequently, after the insertion of the ligulate strips is complete, even if the pressing portion 120 does not return to its original position with the biasing force of the second elastic member 125, by manually returning the handle 110 to its original state, it is possible to restore the position of the linked pressing portion 120. In other words, the front edge part, etc. of the ligulate strips do not come out from the through-holes 121a or the reception holes 120a, and even if the pressing portion 120 does not return to its original position, it can be manually returned to its original position. Furthermore, this operation is easy. Moreover, when the pressing portion 120 does not return to its original state, it is possible to rotate the handle 110 upward and remove the front end of the ligulate strips from the through-holes 121a and then remove the ligulate strips caught in the reception holes 120a. Consequently, it becomes possible to prevent damage to the bound paper sheets.
Moreover, as shown in
Moreover, the entirety of the pressing portion 120 is configured by a transparent member. It is also possible to not configure the entirety with a transparent member and to make the reception holes 120a and the region surrounding the reception holes 120a transparent members. That is, as long as the area above at least the through-holes 121a of the mounting base 121 and the region surrounding the through-holes 121a is transparent, it is possible for the operator to confirm the state of the hole-punching part and its surroundings on the paper sheets. Moreover, it is not necessary to configure the pressing portion 120 with a transparent member, and it may be configured as a mesh or a sieve to allow the operator to confirm the state of the hole-punching part and its surroundings on the paper sheets.
Moreover, in the paper binder 100 according to the present embodiment, the punch blades 123c that punch holes and form the ligulate strips S, the incising blades 124 that form the incisions C, and the projections 123e that fold over the ligulate strips S, etc. are all arranged on the side of the base 101. According to this type of configuration, on the pressing portion 120 on the side of the handle 110, it is sufficient to form at least the reception holes 120a that receive the blades, etc. of the ligulate-strip processing portions 123 and the incising blades 124. That is, with this configuration, it is possible to reduce the space used by the pressing portion 120. With this space reduction, it is possible to reduce the distance between, for example, the pressure shaft 112 and the rotation shaft 111. As a result, manual force on the handle 110 can be applied efficiently, and it becomes possible to reduce the hole-punching load.
Moreover, through this space reduction, it is possible to arrange the rotation shaft anteriorly relative to the pressing portion 120 and to lower the rotation shaft 111 based on the height of the upper surface of the pressing portion 120. By lowering the height of the rotation shaft 111, it becomes possible to suppress the height of the supporting plate 103. As a result, it becomes possible to suppress increases in the overall size of the paper binder 100. Furthermore, when making the paper binder 100 a handheld tool, because it is possible to reduce the distance between the protruding end 110a of the handle 110 and the posterior edge of the posterior base 101a, it becomes possible to improve the operability of paper-binding operations.
(Mounting Base 121)
The mounting base 121 supports one edge of the paper sheets using the upper surface as the mounting surface, and pinches the paper sheets with the pressing portion 120. When the mounting base 121 is pressed down while pinching the paper sheets, the paper sheets are pressed for the blade parts of the punch blades 123c and the incising blades 124. As a result of this series of operations, the punched holes and the incisions are formed. The mounting base 121 is provided with the through-holes 121a (
Moreover, as shown in
Moreover, as shown in
Moreover, as shown in
Moreover, as shown in
Moreover, as shown in
(Ligulate-Strip Processing Portions 123 and Incising Blades 124)
Next, with reference to
As shown in
As shown in
Moreover, the incising blade 124 is provided enclosed by the punch blades 123c. As with the ligulate-strip processing portions 123, the incising blade 124 is supported by the holding portion 108, and the blade part is formed as a flat plate. The width direction of the blade part is roughly perpendicular to the projection direction of the projections 123e. Furthermore, as shown in
According to the configuration described above, the punch blades 123c rotate in mutually facing directions and fold over each of the ligulate strips S. As a result, the ligulate strips S formed by the punch blades 123c are folded over in mutually facing directions by the rotation of the ligulate-strip processing portions 123 (refer to
However, the means of pressing the ligulate strips S into the incisions C is not limited to a method using the incising blades 124 and the engaging hole 124c. For example, a configuration may be used in which the projections 123e rotated until the position of the incisions C and press the ligulate strips S into the incisions C. Moreover, the projections 123e that press in the ligulate strips S do not necessarily have to be formed in an integrated manner with the punch blades 123c, and they may be configured as separate members.
As a result, as shown in
By defining the angle α in this manner, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a turning direction that makes the binding easy to undo. If only one of the ligulate strips S is present, when the paper sheets are turned in the direction opposite to the direction of insertion into the incisions C, the ligulate strip S ends up being removed from the incisions C. Moreover, even if there are multiple ligulate strips S, if each ligulate strip S is inserted in a reverse-facing manner relative to the incisions C, they may again end up being removed from the incisions C. However, in the bound part of paper sheets bound by the paper binder 100 of the present embodiment, the extension line in the insertion direction of one set of ligulate strips S into the incisions C intersects with the extension line in the insertion direction of the other set of ligulate strips S into the incisions C. Consequently, even if the paper sheets are turned in the direction opposite to the insertion direction of one set of ligulate strips S, the other set of ligulate strips S prevents the ligulate strips S from being removed from the incisions C. In other words, it is possible to suppress or prevent movements of the paper sheets that cause one set of ligulate strips S to become removed from the incisions C with the presence of the other set of ligulate strips S pressed into the incisions C. Consequently, it is possible to secure the binding strength between the paper sheets. Moreover, because the paper sheets are bound by the ligulate strips S, multiple paper sheets are bound without using a binding material such as a staple or adhesive paste, and it is therefore possible to prevent situations causing problems in a shredder or an ADF (Auto Document Feeder). Furthermore, there is no need to refill the binding material, and it is possible to avoid troublesome replacement operations of binding material after continuous use.
Furthermore, as shown in
Next, operations of the ligulate-strip processing portions 123 and the incising blades 124 according to the above configuration, as well as operations of the pressing portion 120 and the mounting base 121, are described with reference to
(State Before Pressing Down the Handle)
As shown in
(State at the Start of Pressing Down the Handle)
When transitioning from
Moreover, when the pressure shaft 112 supported by the handle 110 presses down the pressing portion 120, the pressing portion guides 120e pass through the inside of the second guide holes 121e of the mounting base 121. That is, the pressing portion 120 is guided by the second guide holes 121e and the entirety moves toward the front surface of the mounting base 121.
(State at the Start of Pressing Down the Mounting Base)
When the pressing portion 120 reaches the upper surface (mounting surface) of the paper sheets on the mounting base 121, the paper sheets are pinched between the upper surface of the mounting base 121 and the anterior side of the lower surface of the pressing portion 120. When the pressure shaft 112 is pressed down further, the lower surface of the pressing portion 120 starts to press down the mounting base 121 while the paper sheets remain gripped. At this time, as shown in
Furthermore, as shown in
When the mounting base 121 starts to be pressed down in this way, the punch blades 123c of the ligulate-strip processing portions 123 supported by the holding portion 108 abut the bottom surface of the paper sheets on the mounting surface of the mounting base 121. When the mounting base 121 is pressed down further, they press against the bottom surface of the paper sheets and the punch blades 123c on the front end punch holes in the paper sheets. Moreover, the incising blades 124 are also pressed against and insert incisions C on the inside of the holes punched in the paper sheets. Here, the term “inside” refers to the side toward the centerline of the paper binder 100 connecting the forward and backward directions of the paper binder 100.
When the hole-punching and the formation of the ligulate strips S and the incisions are complete and the mounting base 121 descends further, as shown in
(State from the Time of Completion of the Paper-Binding Process to Handle Release)
As shown in
Next, with reference to
(Gauge Base 121j)
With reference to
Furthermore, the respective heights of the gauge bases 121j, 121j are formed to be lower than the height from the upper surface of the mounting base 121 to the lower surface of the pressing portion 120. Consequently, when the user does not wish to use the gauge bases 121j, 121j, the user passes the paper sheets through over the gauge bases 121j, 121j. When using the gauge bases 121j, 121j, it is possible to perform the positional alignment described above. In other words, the gauge bases 121j, 121j are configurations allowing positional alignment to be performed when necessary, and it is possible to select the method of use desired by the user.
As shown in
Here, when fixing the ligulate strips S pressed into the incisions C to prevent their movement and thereby secure adhesive strength, the widths of the incisions C become almost equal to the widths of the ligulate strips S (c′d′−a′b′≅0 mm). However, the bound paper sheets may each be rolled individually by a browser. That is, if the widths of the incisions C are made almost equal to the widths of the ligulate strips S and no difference in width is set, there is a risk that the edge parts of the incisions C may be torn. This is because a great load is applied to the point of contact between the widthwise edge parts of the incisions C and the widthwise edge parts of the ligulate strips S due to the rolling movement. Consequently, based on considerations of the strength of the edge parts of the incisions C, the difference between the widths of the incisions C and the widths of the ligulate strips S is set to, for example, 2 mm or more. In other words, the widths of the incising blades 124 are formed to open a length of around 1 mm from each of the widthwise edge parts of the ligulate strips S to the widthwise edge parts of the incisions C.
Next, actions and effects of the paper binder 100 according to the present embodiment will be described.
In the paper binder 100 according to the present embodiment, the handle 110 is provided with the aperture portion 110c. Furthermore, the entirety of the pressing portion 120 is configured by a transparent member. Therefore, the upper surface of the paper sheets mounted on the mounting base 121 is visible through the aperture portion 110c and the pressing portion 120. Consequently, the operator performing the paper-binding process is able to punch holes in the paper sheets after confirming the hole-punching part. As a result, it becomes easy to confirm the paper-binding part of the paper sheets. Furthermore, it is also possible to perform paper-binding while avoiding printed parts of the paper sheets, and it is therefore possible to prevent the risk of creating problems for browsing the paper sheets. Moreover, because the paper sheets are bound together by the ligulate strips S, it is possible to bind multiple paper sheets without using any binding material such as a staple or adhesive paste. Consequently, it is possible to avoid situations in which problems are accidentally caused with a shredder or an ADF. Furthermore, because there is no binding material used for the paper-binding process, there is no need for any operation to replenish any binding material. Consequently, it is possible to avoid troublesome operations to replace binding materials even after continuous use of the paper binder.
Moreover, in the paper binder according to the present embodiment, the difference between the widths of the incisions C and the widths of the ligulate strips S is set to be, for example, 2 mm or more. That is, the widths of the incising blades 124 are formed to open a length of around 1 mm from each of the widthwise edge parts of the ligulate strips S to the widthwise edge parts of the incisions C. Consequently, as a result of reducing the load applied to the point of contact between the widthwise edge parts of the incisions C and the widthwise edge parts of the ligulate strips S when individual sheets are rolled, it is possible to avoid the risk of the edge parts of the incisions C tearing.
Moreover, in the paper binder 100 according to the present embodiment, as a first step, paper sheets are held by the pressing portion 120, and then as a second step, upon adjusting the hole-punching load, holes are punched in the paper sheets being held. As a result, because the bound paper sheets are unlikely to involve misalignment between individual sheets, a neat finish is obtained and adhesive strength is secured. Furthermore, as shown in
The pressure shaft 112 of the paper binder 100 according to the embodiment is arranged approximately on a line extending from the direction in which the first cylinder portion 107 provided with the first elastic member 105 is erected to the direction in which the second guide brace member 120g faces. Furthermore, the first elastic member 105 biases the mounting base 121 upward to support the adjustment of the hole-punching load to an optimum level for punching holes in the paper sheets. From directly above the direction in which the first cylinder portion 107 provided with the first elastic member 105 is erected, the pressure shaft 112 presses down the pressing portion 120. Consequently, it becomes possible to transmit the hole-punching load that presses down the pressing portion 120 and the mounting base 121 with greater efficiency.
In the paper binder 100 according to the present embodiment, the handle frame 110e is enclosed between the supporting plate 103, and therefore, even if the handle frame 110e is pressed down, the situation in which it abuts the upper edge of the supporting plate 103 does not arise. In other words, the rotational range of the handle is not limited by the height of the supporting plate 103. Consequently, the stroke length of the upward and downward movement of the ligulate-strip processing portions 123 is secured while also securing the operability of the paper-binding process. In addition, the handle cover 110d is provided and covers the handle frame 110e together with the entire supporting plate 103. Consequently, even if the hand of the operator pressing down the handle 110d is near the rotation shaft 111, this does not disrupt the operation, and the occurrence of a situation in which operations to press down the handle 110 are disrupted is prevented.
After the completion of the insertion of the ligulate strips S, even if the handle 110 is returned and the pressing portion 120 is biased by the second elastic members 125, the pressing portion 120 may not return to its original position due to the ligulate strips S of the bound paper sheets being caught, etc. For example, there are cases in which the front edge part of the ligulate strips S does not come out of the through-holes 121a or the reception holes 120a and the pressing portion 120 does not return to its original position. In relation to this point, in the paper binder 100 of the present embodiment, the handle 110 and the pressing portion 120 are linked via the engaging portions 120h and the pressure shaft 112. Consequently, even if the pressing portion 120 does not return to its original position, it is possible to manually return the handle 110 to its original state. Moreover, this operation is easy. Moreover, when the pressing portion 120 does not return to its original state, it is also possible to perform an operation in which the handle 110 is rotated upward to remove the front end of the ligulate strips S from the through-holes 121a before removing the ligulate strips S caught in the reception holes 120a, and it becomes possible to prevent damage to the bound paper sheets.
Moreover, in the paper binder 100 according to the present embodiment, the punch blades 123c that form the ligulate strips S by performing hole-punching, the incising blades 124 that form the incisions C, and the projections 123e that press the ligulate strips S into the engaging holes 124c are all arranged on the side of the base 101. According to this type of configuration, it is sufficient to form at least the reception holes 120a that receive the blades, etc. of the ligulate-strip processing portions 123 and the incising blades 124 on the pressing portion 120 on the side of the handle 110. That is, the space used by the pressing portion 120 can be reduced. Through this space reduction, it is, for example, possible to reduce the distance between the pressure shaft 112 and the rotation shaft 111. As a result, the manual force applied on the handle 110 can be applied efficiently, and it becomes possible to reduce the hole-punching load.
Moreover, as a result of this space reduction, it is possible to arrange the rotation shaft 111 anterior to the pressing portion 120 and to lower the rotation shaft 111 based on the height of the upper surface of the pressing portion 120. By lowering the height of the rotation shaft 111, it becomes possible to suppress the height of the supporting plate 103. As a result, it becomes possible to suppress increases in the overall size of the paper binder 100. Furthermore, when making the paper binder 100 a handheld tool, because it is possible to reduce the distance between the protruding end 110a of the handle 110 and the posterior edge of the posterior base 101a, it becomes possible to improve the operability of paper-binding operations.
Moreover, in the paper binder 100 according to the present embodiment, because the blade parts (123c, etc.) of the ligulate-strip processing portions 123 and the incising blades 124 are facing upward, after the completion of the process of binding the paper sheets, it is necessary to return these members to their original positions. In relation to this point, in the paper binder 100 according to the present embodiment, after the third elastic members 126 have been transformed due to the rotation of the ligulate-strip processing portions 123, when the raised portions 121f release the hook portions 123g as a result of the return of the handle 110, the third elastic members 126 attempt to return to their pre-rotational state using their own elasticity. Using this biasing force, even if the ligulate-strip processing portions 123 are rotated once, it becomes possible to return them to their original positions.
Next, technical concepts that can be understood from the above embodiment are described below.
(I) The paper binder according to claim 1, wherein
the punch blades and the projections are formed in an integrated manner,
when the mounting base and the base come near to each other in accordance with the rotation of the handle, holes are punched in the paper sheets arranged on the mounting base by the punch blades erected from the base to form the strips, and the incisions are formed between the punched holes by the incising blades, and
after the strips and the incisions have been formed, when the holding portion is pushed down further, the front end of the projections rotated toward the side of the incisions and fold over the strips in the direction of the incisions.
(II) The paper binder according to claim 1, wherein
the mounting base is provided with a raised portion erected in the direction of the base,
the projections are rotatably supported by the base, and
after the strips and the incisions have been formed, when the mounting base is brought even closer to the base, the raised portion presses for part of the projections, the front end of the projections rotates toward the side of the incisions, and the strips are folded over in the direction of the incisions.
(III) The paper binder according to claim 2, wherein
the brace member is a tubular member and is provided on the base, the penetration portion is provided on the mounting base, the pressing portion penetrates the penetration portion and the inside of the brace member, and the brace member guides movement of the pressing portion and the mounting base in the base direction.
(IV) The paper binder according to claim 1, wherein
on the mounting base, on the side on which the paper sheets are inserted and on the both sides of the mounting base, a pair of gauge bases is provided, and
the gauge bases guide the corner part of the paper sheets so that they are held in place at the portion of the placement region where the punch blades pass through.
(V) The paper binder according to (IV) described above, wherein
the respective heights of the gauge bases are formed to be lower than the height from the base to the basal surface part, and
when the paper sheets are passed through between the gauge bases, the corner part of the paper sheets is guided to be held in place at the pass-through portion, and when the paper sheets are passed through to be placed on the gauge bases and inserted into the placement region, the paper sheets are not guided.
(VI) The paper binder according to claim 2, wherein
the pressing portion is linked to the handle by being interiorly penetrated by the pressure shaft on the surface on the side of the handle, and
the pressure shaft is able to slide inside the link part.
(VII) The paper binder according to claim 1, wherein the projections are provided with a biasing means that provides a bias in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the projections corresponding to the rotation of the handle.
(VIII) A paper binder that, by punching holes in a plurality of layered paper sheets, forms roughly ligulate strips that are partially connected to the paper sheets while also forming incisions near the strips, and also presses the strips into the incisions to bind the plurality of paper sheets, comprising:
a base;
a first handle extending rearward from the base;
a pair of punch blades that are erected upward from the base and formed with blade parts on the upper edges;
a pair of incising blades that are erected upward from the base and formed with blade parts on the upper edges;
a supporting part erected upward from the base;
a second handle that is connected on approximately the upper edge of the supporting part via a rotation shaft, that extends rearward, and on which a window portion is formed at the position above the pair of punch blades and the pair of incising blades as well as the surrounding positions;
a mounting base that is provided between the base and second handle in a manner enabling upward and downward movement relative to the base, that is formed with through-holes on the upper surface at the respective positions above the pair of the punch blades and the pair of incising blades, and on which the plurality of paper sheets are mounted on the upper surface;
a pressing portion that has a lower surface arranged facing the upper surface of the mounting base, that is formed with through-holes on the upper surface at the respective positions above the pair of punch blades and the pair of incising blades, that is formed with a window portion at the same positions and their surrounding positions, and that is provided in a manner enabling upward and downward movement relative to the mounting base, and
an insertion mechanism for inserting the strips into the incisions, wherein
as a result of the pressing portion and the mounting base being brought close together due to the rotation of the handle, the paper sheets on the mounting base are pinched, and as a result of the pressing portion and the mounting base being moved toward the base while pinching the paper sheets, the paper sheets are pressed against the edge parts of the punch blades and the incising blades to form the strips and the incisions.
The “first handle” and “second handle” in the technical concept (VIII) described above are both defined as handles based on the assumption that the operator will use the paper binder with their hands.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2010-014860 | Jan 2010 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2011/000146 | 1/13/2011 | WO | 00 | 7/25/2012 |