The invention relates to a punch.
A punch is used widely to punch sheets of paper to allow these punched sheets of paper to be retained in a file or a notebook. A conventional punch generally comprises two fixed punching means. In use, the fixed punching means may punch two holes on an edge of sheets of paper. However, three holes need to be punched on sheets of paper in some cases. The conventional punch can't meet this requirement.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improvement in the conventional punch.
The present invention is proposed in consideration of the above problems in the conventional punch.
Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a punch, which may punch two or three holes on sheets of paper as desired.
According to the invention, a punch is provided, comprising:
a connecting bar; and
two punching means;
wherein the two punching means are mounted rotatably to the connecting bar.
The punch according to the invention may punch two or three holes on sheets of paper as desired by rotating the connecting bar and one punching means since two punching means are mounted rotatably to the connecting bar,.
In assembly, the base 105 and the bracket 107 are fixed together to allow their holes 113, 114, 115 and 123, 124, 125 to be aligned with each other. A part of the base 105 provided with the hole 115 is lower than a part provided with the hole 113 and 114 such that a gap between the part of the base 105 provided with the hole 115 and the bottom portion 117 of the bracket 107 is large enough to insert sheets of paper to be punched. The punching pin 111 inserts into the aligned holes in the bottom portion 117 and the top portion 121 of the bracket 107, and a pin shaft 143 passes through the hole 137 in one side portion 133 of the pressing portion, the elongated slot 129 in one side portion 119 of the bracket, the through hole 141 in the punching pin 111, the elongated slot 129 in the other side portion 119 of the bracket and the hole 137 in the other side portion 133 of the pressing portion. Furthermore, a pin shaft 145 passes through the hole 135 in one side portion 133 of the pressing portion, the notch 127 in one side portion 119 of the bracket, a coil spring 147, the notch 127 in the other side portion 119 of the bracket and the hole 135 in the other side portion 133 of the pressing portion so that two free ends of the coil spring 147 abut against the bottom portion 117 of the bracket 107 and the top portion 131 of the pressing portion 109 respectively. Thus, the pressing portion 109 is mounted movably to the bracket 107 to form one punching means 103. A through hole 149 is formed respectively at both ends of the connecting bar 101. Both ends of the connecting bar 101 are placed respectively on one punching means 103. A connecting member 151 passes through the through hole 149 of the connecting bar 101, the hole 123 of the bracket 107 and the hole 113 of the base 105 so that each of two punching means 103 is connected rotatably with the connecting bar 101. A distance between the centers of the two punching means 103 is preferably equal to the distance between the holes in the standard loose-leaf sheets of paper. It can be seen that the rotation between the connecting bar 101 and the punching means 103 is limited by the bracket of the punching means 103. Preferably, the connecting bar 101 and the punching means 103 are configured so that the rotation of the connecting bar 101 and each punching means 103 around the connecting member 151 with respect to each other in one direction is limited to one position where the connecting bar 101 is perpendicular to each punching means 103, and the rotation in the direction opposite to the said direction is also limited to a position where the connecting bar is perpendicular to each punching means, i.e., a range of rotation of the connecting bar 101 with respect to the punching means around the connecting member 151 or a range of rotation of the punching means with respect to the connecting bar 101 around the connecting member 151 is limited to 180 degree. Furthermore, each punching means 103 may further comprise a bottom cover 153. The bottom cover 153 may attached onto the opened bottom of the base 105 to receive the paper debris.
The punch 100 according to the invention may further comprise a locking means 155 provided at one punching means 103. Preferably, the locking means 155 comprises a locking tab 157 and a coil spring 159. The locking tab 157 comprises a step or hook shaped locking portion 161 located in the middle and a hole 163 located at the bottom end. When assembled, the bottom end of the locking tab 157 inserts into an elongated opening 169 formed on the top portion 131 of the pressing portion 109 of the punching means. A pin shaft 165 passes through a hole 167 in one side portion 119 of the bracket, the coil spring 159, the hole 163 in the bottom end of the locking tab 157 and the hole 167 in the other side portion 119 of the bracket so that one free end of the coil spring 159 is mounted onto the locking tab 157. The coil spring 159 tends to cause one side of the locking tab 157 provided with the locking portion 161 to rest always against one end of the elongated opening 169 in the top portion 131 of the pressing portion, thereby keeping the punching pin Ill passing through sheets of paper to lock the punching means 103 at sheets of paper after the pressing portion 109 is pressed down to punch sheets of paper. It should be understood that the locking means described above is a preferred form of the invention and the locking means may be in any form as long as it may keep the punching pin 111 passing through sheets of paper after punching sheets of paper. For example, the coil spring may be unnecessary and the locking tab may be set at the locked position or the unlocked position directly by hand; the elongated opening may not be formed in the top portion of the pressing portion and the locking tab may act directly on the pressing portion. Furthermore, both punching means may be provided with the locking means.
Operation of the punch 100 according to the invention will be described in the following. Firstly, the punch 100 is adjusted to a state shown in
If three holes are to be punched in sheets of paper, the punching means 103 provided with the locking means is located at a position on sheets of paper where the middle hole is to be punched, as shown in
Although the preferred embodiments of the invention were described in detail taken in conjunction of the accompanying drawings in a non-limiting sense, it should be understood that various changes and modifications could be made without departing from the scope defined by accompanying claims of the invention. For example, the punching means may not be limited to the above type and may be any known type of punching means. The locking means is not necessary and a punching means may be kept manually at the locked state. Furthermore, the locking means is also applicable to one punching means with two or more punching pins.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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200710007787.4 | Feb 2007 | CN | national |