Patent Application
20070194076
The present invention relates to a safety device for staplers and the safety device ensures that the users push the safety link against an object first and then pull the trigger.
A conventional pneumatic stapler or nailer generally includes a barrel with a safety link which is located below the nose portion of the stapler and a trigger which is pivotably connected to the barrel. A valve is received in the handle and includes an activation rod which is located behind the trigger. A plate is connected to the trigger or the safety link and when the plate is moved to push the activation rod, high pressurized air enters into the barrel to eject a staple out from the nose portion. Because the stapler is so heavy that the users usually hold the handle and the trigger together, in other words, the trigger is pulled before the stapler aims the object to be stapled. The stapler is then move toward the object to be stapled and the safety link is then compressed against the object. The safety link is pushed toward the barrel and moves the plate to activate the valve to eject one staple. This sequence of operation is wrong obviously, the safety link should be first pushed against the object then the trigger is pulled.
Besides, due to the backward force after each shot, the user feels a force to push him or her backward. In order to resist the backward force, the user will tends to push the stapler forward while the trigger is still being pulled. Once the safety link is pushed against the object again, a second staple shoots out. The second staple is not aimed and might hurt people.
The present invention intends to provide a safety device for staplers and the safety device wherein an end of the trigger is moved with the movement of the safety link unit so that the trigger is moved a ready-to-shoot position when the safety link unit is pushed against the object to be stapled.
The present invention relates to a stapler which comprises a barrel having a nose portion connected to a front end thereof and a handle is connected a rear end of the barrel. A valve is received in the handle and an activation rod retractably extends from the valve. A safety link unit is movably connected to the barrel and a first section of the safety link unit is located beneath the nose portion and movably protrudes from a distal end of the nose portion. A second section of the safety link unit is located beneath the barrel. A trigger has a first end movably connected to a guide portion of the barrel and the second section of the safety link unit is located adjacent to the first end of the trigger. When the safety link unit is pushed against an object, the second section of the safety link unit pushes the first end of the trigger to move toward the activation rod so that when the user pulls the trigger, the activation rod is compressed to activate the valve so that pressurized air enters into the barrel to eject the staples from the nose portion.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a safety link unit for a stapler wherein the trigger is moved by the movement of the safety link unit so that the valve can be activated when the safety link unit is pushed against an object to be stapled.
The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to
A safety link unit 2 is movably connected to the barrel 1 and a first section 20 of the safety link unit 2 is located beneath the nose portion 10 and movably protrudes from a distal end of the nose portion 10. A second section 21 of the safety link unit 2 is located beneath the barrel 1. A spring 4 is mounted to the safety link unit 2 and biased between a flange on the safety rod unit 2 and a stop on the barrel 1, wherein the second section 21 of the safety link unit 2 movably extends through the stop.
A trigger 3 has a first end movably connected to the second section 21 of the safety link unit 2. As shown in
As shown in
FIGS. 5 to 7 show another embodiment of the present invention wherein the barrel 1 has a nose portion connected to a front end thereof and a handle is connected a rear end of the barrel 1. A valve 11 received in the handle and an activation rod 110 retractably extends from the valve 11. The handle includes a fitting at an underside thereof so as to be connected with a hose (not shown) to introduce pressurized air into the handle and the barrel 1 from a compressor (not shown).
A trigger 3 has a first end movably connected to a guide portion 13 of the barrel 1. The guide portion 13 can be a slot, a rail or any structure that allows the first end of the trigger 3 to move linearly.
A safety link unit 2 is movably connected to the barrel 1 and a first section 20 of the safety link unit 2 is located beneath the nose portion 10 and movably protrudes from a distal end of the nose portion 10. A second section 21 of the safety link unit 2 is located beneath the barrel 1 and adjacent to the first end of the trigger 3 so that the first end of the trigger 3 is moved toward the activation rod 110 by the second section 21 of the safety link unit 2 when the fist end 20 of the safety link unit 2 is pushed against an object.
A spring 4 is mounted to the safety link unit 3 and biased between a flange on the safety rod unit 3 and a stop on the barrel 1. The second section 21 of the safety link unit 3 movably extends through the stop.
The user has to push the first end of the safety link unit 2 against the object such that the trigger 3 can be effectively pulled to activate the valve 11. The safety link unit 2 can be a one-piece member or composed of at least two sections.
While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
