Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6565277
-
Patent Number
6,565,277
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, March 5, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, May 20, 200321 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
- Martin-Wallace; Valencia
- Henderson; Mark T.
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 402 8
- 402 14
- 402 15
- 402 17
- 402 64
- 402 68
- 024 67 R
- 024 675
- 024 6711
-
International Classifications
- B42F1306
- B42F1308
- B42D100
-
Abstract
A paper fastener includes a base having two end legs for engaging through sheet materials to be clamped and having two side panels bent relative to the base and two outer flanges folded relative to the side panels and shielded by the side panels. A bar includes two end orifices for receiving the legs of the base, and includes two side flaps bent relative to the bar and two outer flanges folded relative to the side flaps and shielded by the side flaps of the bar. Two retainers are slidably engaged on the bar for securing the paper sheets between the base and the bar.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper fastener, and more particularly to a paper fastener having side flanges folded and shielded for preventing the burred side flanges of the paper fastener from hurting users.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,246 to Yu discloses one of the typical paper fasteners.
FIG. 1
shows the cross sectional view of Yu's paper fastener which includes a base
20
having two folded side flanges
21
and having two end prongs
22
, a compressor
10
having two holes for receiving the prongs
22
and also having two folded side flanges
12
, and two retainers slidably engaged onto the compressor
10
for engaging with the folded prongs
22
and for detachably securing the compressor
10
and the base
20
together. However, the compressor
110
and the base
20
are normally made by punching processes, such that the folded side flanges
12
,
21
of the compressor
10
and the base
20
may be rough or serrated or burred. In addition, the compressor
10
and the base
20
have not been suitably shielded or covered, such that the compressor
10
and the base
20
may easily hurt the users.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional paper fasteners.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a paper fastener including folded side flanges that may be shielded for preventing the burred side flanges of the paper fastener from hurting users.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a paper fastener comprising a base including two ends each having a leg extended therefrom and foldable relative to the base for engaging through sheet materials, the base including two side panels bent relative to the base for forming a bent portion between the side panels.and the base respectively, the side panels being located lower than the base for forming a recess between the base and the side panels respectively, the side panels each including an outer flange folded relative to the side panels respectively and engaged into the recess of the base and engaged with the side panels respectively, the outer flanges of the side panels each including a free edge located beside the bent portions of the base and shielded by the bent portions and the side panels of the base respectively, a bar including two end orifices for receiving the legs of the base and for engaging onto the sheet materials, the legs of the base being foldable to engage onto the bar for clamping the sheet materials between the base and the bar, the bar including two side flaps bent relative to the bar for forming a bent portion between the side flaps and the bar respectively, the side flaps being located higher than the bar for forming a recess between the bar and the side flaps respectively, the side flaps each including an outer flange folded relative to the side flaps respectively and engaged into the recesses of the bar and engaged with the side flaps respectively, the outer flanges of the side flaps each including a free edge located beside the bent portions and shielded by the bent portions and the side flaps of the bar, and two retainers slidably engaged on the bar for engaging with the legs and for securing the paper sheets between the base and the bar.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of a detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a cross sectional view illustrating one of the typical paper fasteners;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of a paper fastener in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a cross sectional view taken along lines
3
—
3
of
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 4
is a partial exploded view of the paper fastener; and
FIGS. 5 and 6
are enlarged partial perspective views illustrating the folded and shielded side flanges of the paper fastener.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, and initially to
FIGS. 2-4
, a paper fastener in accordance with the present invention comprises a base
30
including two ends each having a leg
31
extended therefrom for engaging through the respective holes of the paper sheets to be clamped, and including two side panels
32
hammered or forged relative to the base
30
for forming a bent portion
33
between the side panels
32
and the base. The side panels
32
are substantially parallel to the base
30
, and are located slightly lower than the base
30
(
FIGS. 3
,
5
) for forming a shoulder or a recess
34
between the base
30
and the side panels
32
respectively.
As best shown in
FIGS. 3-5
, the side panels
32
each includes an outer flange
36
folded upward relative to the side panels
32
respectively and then folded downward to engage into the recesses
34
of the base
30
and to engage with the side panels
32
respectively. The outer flanges
36
of the side panels
32
each includes a free edge
37
where normally may have the burrs or rough members formed thereon. The free edges
37
of the outer flanges
36
of the side panels
32
are engaged with the bent portions
33
or located beside the bent portions
33
for allowing the outer flanges
36
of the side panels
32
to be shielded by the bent portions
33
and the side panels
32
of the base
30
.
A bar
40
includes two end orifices
41
for receiving the legs
31
of the base
30
, for allowing the bar
40
to be engaged onto the paper sheets to be clamped. The legs
31
of the base
30
may then be folded to engage onto the bar
40
(
FIG. 2
) as that of the typical paper fasteners. The bar
40
includes two side flaps
43
hammered or forged relative to the bar
40
for forming a bent portion
44
between the side flaps
43
and the bar
40
. The side flaps
43
are substantially parallel to the bar
40
, and are located slightly higher than the bar
40
(
FIGS. 3
,
6
) for forming a shoulder or a recess
45
between the bar
40
and the side flaps
43
respectively. Two retainers
50
are slidably engaged on the bar
40
for engaging with the legs
31
and for securing the paper sheets between the base
30
and the bar
40
.
As best shown in
FIGS. 3
,
4
and
6
, the side flaps
43
each includes an outer flange
46
folded downward relative to the side flaps
43
respectively and then folded upward to engage into the recesses
4
,
5
of the bar
40
and to engage with the side flaps
43
respectively. The outer flanges
46
of the side flaps
43
each includes a free edge
47
where normally may have the burrs or rough members formed thereon. The free edges
47
of the outer flanges
46
of the side flaps
43
are engaged with the bent portions
44
or located beside the bent portions
44
for allowing the outer flanges
46
of the side flaps
43
to be shielded by the bent portions
44
and the side flaps
43
of the bar
40
.
As best shown in
FIGS. 3
,
5
and
6
, the outer flanges
36
,
46
of the side panels
32
and the side flaps
43
may thus be shielded or protected, such that the users may be prevented from being cut or hurt by the burred edges of the outer flanges
36
,
46
of the side panels
32
and the side flaps
43
. The bent portions
33
,
44
of the base
30
and the bar
40
may also be used for increasing the bending strength of the base
30
and the bar
40
respectively.
Accordingly, the paper fastener in accordance with the present invention includes folded side flanges that may be shielded for preventing the burred side flanges of the paper fastener from hurting users.
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Claims
- 1. A paper fastener comprising:a base including two ends each having a leg extended therefrom and foldable relative to said base for engaging through sheet materials, said base including two side panels bent relative to said base to form a bent portion between said side panels and said base respectively, said side panels being located lower than said base to form a recess between said base and said side panels respectively, said side panels each including an outer flange folded relative to said side panels respectively and engaged into said recess of said base and engaged with said side panels respectively, said outer flanges of said side panels each including a free edge located beside said bent portions of said base and shielded by said bent portions and said side panels of said base respectively, to prevent said free edge of said outer flange of said side panel from being exposed, a bar including two end orifices to receive said legs of said base, for engaging onto the sheet materials, said legs of said base being foldable to engage onto said bar, to clamp the sheet materials between said base and said bar, said bar including two side flaps bent relative to said bar to form a bent portion between said side flaps end said bar respectively, said side flaps being located higher than said bar to form a recess between said bar and said side flaps respectively, said side flaps each including an outer flange folded relative to said side flaps respectively and engaged into said recesses of said bar and engaged with said side flaps respectively, said outer flanges of said side flaps each including a free edge located beside said bent portions and shielded by said bent portions and said side flaps of said bar, to prevent said free edge of said outer flange of said side flap from being exposed, and two retainers slidably engaged on said bar to engage with said legs, for securing the paper sheets between said base and said bar.
US Referenced Citations (11)